Police: Washington Township man wanted on arrest warrant caught after leading officers on high-speed chase

A Washington Township man wanted on an arrest warrant was charged with a felony charge after police say he led officers on a high-speed chase after fleeing from a traffic stop.

Cameron Marcus Kuhns, 25, of the 4200 block of Route 66 was charged with a felony count of fleeing from police along with two counts each of reckless endangerment and driving under the influence. He also is charged with resisting arrest and seven traffic violations.

Kuhns was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $25,000 cash bond. He faces a preliminary hearing March 20 before District Judge Jason Buczak, according to court records.

A Westmoreland County judge issued a bench warrant for Kuhns’ arrest in February after he failed to appear for a hearing on a misdemeanor drug charge and two citations for disorderly conduct filed in November 2020 by state police, court records show.

On Feb. 9, a Washington Township patrol officer began following a Kia Soul driven by Kuhns after it was seen pulling out of a driveway in front of a passing vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.

The officer said he knew the vehicle from previous encounters with Kuhns and was aware of the arrest warrant, the complaint said.

Police followed Kuhns’ car onto Mamont Drive and then back onto Route 66, where another vehicle had to slam on its brakes to avoid crashing into the Kia, the complaint said.

Kuhns was pulled over near Paradise Drive, police said.

But when the officer tried to open the car door, Kuhns pulled it shut.

He sped off when the officer pulled his gun and ordered him to show his hands and get out of the car, according to court papers.

During the pursuit, which lasted about five minutes, Kuhns was driving more than 65 mph along several residential streets, police said.

He nearly struck a police cruiser head-on while driving more than 65 mph on Thompson Road, where he drove through the yard of a home.

The pursuit ended in the parking lot of a tavern in the 2800 block of Route 66, where he was arrested at gunpoint, police said.

Police searched the vehicle but didn’t find any weapons or drugs, the complaint said.

Kuhns told police he recently had used methamphetamine and said there was drug paraphernalia in the car, the complaint said.

Kuhns was turned over to county sheriff’s deputies after blood was drawn to determine whether he had alcohol or drugs in his system, police said.