Indian American man arrested after intense police chase

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Indian American Darshitkumar Patel, 40, has been charged with aggravated assault and an additional 16 counts of reckless endangerment, after he fled a shooting scene in Trenton, New Jersey and nearly killed a construction crew during a police chase.

According to The Trentonian, a 35-year-old man suffered a through-and-through gunshot wound to the butt at around 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday, but refused medical attention.

Witnesses say that there were many cars that fled the scene but one car in particular, a silver Audi station wagon, was speeding within the area and once the driver was identified as Patel, police then began chasing him.

The chase lasted for 17 minutes and extended into extended into Pennsylvania, returning to Trenton but then went back and ended in a crash right after crossing the bridge.

Police say that Patel had reached speeds of up to 100 mph during the chase and at one point “drove through a clearly marked and active construction zone,” nearly killing a group of 16 construction workers who escaped Patel’s reckless driving.

When Patel returned to New Jersey, police noticed him throwing something out of his car window which was later recovered as 140 packets of heroin.

According to the affidavit, While in Pennsylvania, Patel was ordered to come out from his car by an officer “and though Patel slowed down and stopped for a second, he quickly accelerated toward the police vehicle,” striking the police car and causing injury to the officer.

Patel then drove through a residential trailer park and eventually ended up driving in the wrong direction as he crossed through a neighborhood and collided with a trailer.

Patel, resisting to be arrested, sufferd from a facial fracture and his car was totaled, according to The Trentonian.

He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault, eluding police and other motor vehicle offenses in Pennsylvania as well as several drug offenses, eluding and related motor vehicle offenses in New Jersey.

Trenton police told The Trentonian, that they are still looking into the investigation of the shooting to see if they can connect it to Patel.

Patel was initially hospitalized and is now being held in Bucks County prison with a $975,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12.