LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -Pennsylvania State Police charge Ronald T. Comeger, 32 with numerous crimes, including attempted homicide of a trooper, regarding a high-speed chase on Saturday that covered 21 miles at speeds over 100 mph.
Charges against Comeger include Attempted Homicide, Aggravated Assault (3 counts), Aggravated Assault by a Vehicle (4 counts), Endangering a Child, Fleeing Police, and Causing a Crash while Not Licensed (3 counts), along with other offenses.
Comeger, with a female front-seat passenger and a 7-week-old infant in the back seat led police on a chase westbound on Route 283, weaving through traffic and onto the berm, at speeds up to 125 mph.
At the conclusion of the chase, Comeger deliberately veered his Volkswagen at a state trooper who was out of his vehicle attempting to deploy stop sticks near Toll House Road in Dauphin County.
Prior to swerving from the left lane directly at the trooper on the right berm, Comeger told his female passenger, “someone is going to get hurt.”
State police Trooper Stefanie Schiavoni filed the charges Wednesday afternoon, with approval from Assistant District Attorney Christine L. Wilson.
Wilson said a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 24 at District Judge David Miller’s office.
Comeger, who refused to provide a current address, is at Lancaster County Prison on $1 million bail.
Schiavoni provides this account of the incident in a charging document:
About 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, police clocked the Volkswagen at 73 mph, in a 55-mph zone, at the Route 283 and Route 30 interchange in Manheim Township, Lancaster County.
The trooper pursued the Volkswagen, with lights and sirens activated, but the driver didn’t pull over, instead sped up and traveled west on Route 283.
The Volkswagen weaved through traffic, often traveling onto the right berm.
Comeger told the female passenger he didn’t want to go back to jail, despite her requests that he pull over.
Near the Toll House Road exit, the Volkswagen veered directly at a trooper from Troop H in Dauphin County. The trooper dove away to avoid being struck.
Comeger then crashed the Volkswagen into another vehicle, causing both vehicles to strike a wall and come to a stop.
Comeger climbed into the back seat as police approached on foot with weapons drawn. Comeger was holding the baby as a human shield.
The baby sustained cuts to his head. The baby’s mother sustained cuts and bruises to her arms and legs.
The trooper had cuts and bruises to his arms and legs.
Neither the baby nor the baby’s mother were hurt.
Comeger’s Delaware driver’s license was suspended.
In the Volkswagen, police found an ounce of cocaine, a marijuana joint, and over $350 cash. They also found a 6-pack of beer, with two beers missing.
At a hospital, police detected an odor of alcohol on Comeger’s breath. Police are awaiting results of a blood test.
In addition to the above charges, Comeger is charged with Reckless Endangerment (5 counts), Possession with Intent to Deliver (cocaine), 2 misdemeanor drug charges, and several summary traffic violations.
