Pennsylvania man arrested after alleged escape and car wreck accident

A Pennsylvania man was arrested early Thursday morning on several charges, including escape, after he allegedly fled from a Garland County sheriff's deputy, sparking a chase that ended with him landing in a ditch with his SUV.

Harrison Joseph Smiley, 28, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was arrested just before 4 a.m. on an access road in the 3000 block of East Grand Avenue and charged with felony vehicular egress with substantial risk of life, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, reckless driving, speeding in excess of 15 mph and obstructing governmental operations for allegedly failing to disclose his identity.

Smiley, who had a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear, was also charged with failure to control, driving on the left and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. He was held on $4,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in Garland County District Court on Friday.

According to court records, he has no prior criminal record locally, but on February 27, 2023, in District Court, he pleaded “no contest” to the misdemeanors of possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, theft of property under $1,000, and obstructing government operations and was sentenced to one year of probation. On June 22, 2023, he again pleaded “no contest” to the misdemeanor of third-degree assault and was sentenced to 106 days in jail.

According to the probable cause affidavit, GCSO Cpl. Thomas Fox saw a gray Hyundai Tucson traveling eastbound on East Grand Frontage Road near Westinghouse Drive around 3:45 a.m. Thursday and noticed the vehicle was “stationed over the double yellow line with tires on both sides” as it traveled.

He attempted to stop the SUV, but it reportedly sped up and drove away, so he alerted dispatchers that he was “in a pursuit” and activated his siren. He noted that during the pursuit, the SUV reached speeds in excess of 61 miles per hour and drove on both sides of the center line.

Near the end of the access road, in the 3000 block, the SUV lost control and drove off the road into a ditch. Fox noted the SUV was “briefly airborne” before it landed and lost power.

Fox ordered the driver to show his hands and he complied. The officer then discovered that a 27-year-old woman from Emmet was also in the vehicle. She was removed after other officers arrived and checked for injuries.

The driver had to be removed from the vehicle because he stated he was “physically unable” to exit the vehicle on his own. When asked his name, the driver reportedly said “John” and then something that sounded like “Henry.”

When asked again if his last name was “Henry,” the driver replied yes. He was later identified as Smiley, which led to the additional charge of obstructing the roadway.