A five-mile police pursuit of a drug suspect, who allegedly tried to drive into the fence of a Delaware County prison, ended along a road that leads to Philadelphia International Airport.
The pursuit ended shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday along Route 291 near S. Stewart Avenue in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. That intersection is a short drive from the airport.
It began as police were trying to track down a drug suspect in a suspicious car around 10:45 a.m. in the Sun Village Park section of Chester, said Chester Police Commissioner Joseph Bail.
The man, later identified as Brian Bowe of Wilmington, Delaware became combative as officers approached, the officer tried to subdue Bowe with a stun gun but it didn't work, said Bail. Bowe then drove off -- throwing drugs from his car along the way.
Bowe, 24, then crashed into the fence at the state Correctional Institute in Chester as police tried to box in his vehicle, said Bail. At some point, the suspect tried to run down at least two police officers and struck some police cars, causing officers to fire two shots, said investigators.
Despite being shot in the left upper shoulder, Bowe continued to flee, driving off toward the airport. The pursuit ended several miles down Route 291 in front of the Boeing facility when Bowe's tires blew out, said Bail.
Emergency crews took Bowe to Crozer Chester Hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
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Police told NBC10 the suspect appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance and police found drug paraphernalia in the car. The suspect did not complain of any pain, but investigators told NBC10 he was concerned when medics tried to cut his shirt because it was a souvenir from Costa Rica.
As SkyForce10 hovered overhead a short time later, you could see a large police presence – including vehicles from various police departments – in the middle of the blocked off roadway. SkyForce10 also captured a couple of green gates knocked down in a lot next to the prison along Route 291.
