Another multi-state police chase: Wrong-way driver on I-95 crashes in Pennsylvania
For the second time Wednesday, a police chase started in Delaware and ended near the Philadelphia International Airport. This time the pursuit involved a wrong-way driver who, the Associated Press reported, wasn't wearing any clothes.
A 911 call came in at 7:19 p.m. about a car headed into oncoming traffic in the south lanes of I-95, police said. State troopers pursued the vehicle north in a chase that eventually brought out state troopers from Delaware and Pennsylvania as well as SWAT teams.
Master Cpl. Michel Austin of Delaware State Police confirmed the pursuit started in Delaware.
The pursuit temporarily closed the south lanes of I-95.
5 Wilmington officers hurt in chase ending near Philadelphia airport
The driver, later identified as Kyle R. Merena, 29, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, refused to stop, police said, and at the Delaware Service Plaza turned around and started going the right direction on I-95 north.
Merena switched back to wrong-way driving after hitting heavy traffic, Delaware State Police said, driving across the median and continuing north on I-95 south.
At the state line, Pennsylvania state troopers took the lead, with Delaware State Police assisting.
The chase ended when Merena collided with a Pennsylvania State Police vehicle just south of Philadelphia International Airport, police said. Merena tried to flee the scene on foot but was arrested.
Driver in crash that killed Philly Mummers ignored Delaware police trying to stop him
An Associated Press report on the incident did not mention a crash, but cited police as saying spike strips flattened the vehicle's tires.
Merena was taken to a hospital for evaluation, police said.
Pennsylvania state troopers towed a dark green hatchback car from the south lanes.
By 9 p.m., the road was cleared. However, multiple crashes along the southbound lanes of I-95 into Delaware slowed traffic.
Merena is charged with first-degree reckless endangering, disregarding a police officer's signal and other traffic offenses.
This was the second police chase on Wednesday that ended in Pennsylvania but started in Delaware. The first ended at the airport and began in Wilmington, when city police tried to pull over a car. The car headed north on I-95 and Wilmington police followed. Only when the car rammed into another car, causing a patrol car to rollover, did the pursuit end, Wilmington police said.
Six officers were taken to the hospital, five of whom were Wilmington police. None were life-threatening injuries.
Police are looking for the suspect in that crash, Dejuan Robinson, 20, who has ties to Wilmington's Touch Money Gang.
Wednesday's two police chases came after yet another pursuit from Delaware into Pennsylvania earlier this month. In that chase, Keith Campbell, of Bear, crashed and killed three people, two of whom were part of a Mummer's Day Parade marching band.
Contact Josephine Peterson at (302) 324-2856 or jhpeterson@delawareonline.com. Follow her @jopeterson93.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.