Robert J. Rex, who led police in a chase through three townships and a borough in June, now will be led to state prison after pleading guilty Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court to numerous crimes stemming from that incident and two thefts.
Rex, 18, of New Ringgold, must serve two to four years in a state correctional institution, plus 36 additional months on probation, under the terms of President Judge William E. Baldwin's sentence.
Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement between prosecutors and Rex, Baldwin also sentenced Rex to pay costs, $600 in fines and $5,680.37 restitution, and to submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
Rex pleaded guilty to six counts of recklessly endangering another person, four of aggravated assault, two of theft and one each of flight to avoid apprehension, criminal mischief, fleeing or eluding police, possession of drug paraphernalia, accident involving damage to attended vehicle of property, simple assault, driving without a license and conspiracy.
Prosecutors withdrew six counts of stop sign violation, four of aggravated assault, two each of damaging property by operating a motor vehicle, reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person, and one each of driving under the influence, careless driving, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, trespass by motor vehicle, travel on cultivated land, failure to keep right, driving without a license, simple assault, receiving stolen property, fleeing or eluding police, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, safe speed violation and driving the wrong way.
During Wednesday's hearing, Rex said little except to tell Baldwin that he understood his plea and that he was making it voluntarily.
West Penn Township police filed the main set of charges against Rex, alleging he committed numerous crimes during the June 13 chase.
Police alleged that at 11:58 a.m., they spotted Rex driving an SUV on Route 895 near the entrance to The Pines at West Penn mobile home park near Dorset.
Police said they started pursuing Rex, who led them on a chase through East Brunswick Township and New Ringgold, back into East Brunswick Township and into Walker Township.
During the chase, Rex used his SUV to smash a gate in order to enter state gamelands, drove through the gamelands and then smashed through another gate to leave them, police said.
According to police, Rex also drove his SUV into a West Penn police car occupied by an officer and a police dog.
Rex then left his SUV and tried to run away, but was caught and arrested by Tamaqua police and Schuylkill County sheriff's deputies, police said.
Police said they found a smoking pipe in Rex's SUV, resulting in the drug paraphernalia charge. Defendant: Robert J. Rex
Age: 18
Residence: New Ringgold
Crimes committed: Six counts of recklessly endangering another person, four of aggravated assault, two of theft and one each of flight to avoid apprehension, criminal mischief, fleeing or eluding police, possession of drug paraphernalia, accident involving damage to attended vehicle of property, simple assault, driving without a license and conspiracy
Prison sentence: Two to four years in a state correctional institution, plus 36 additional months on probation