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Police: Man leads officers on high-speed chase with 2-year-old daughter in car

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — A Beaver Falls man who previously was on Beaver County’s most-wanted list was arrested Sunday night after police said he led them on a car chase while his 2-year-old daughter was in the car.

Authorities said the incident began Sunday around 7 p.m. on 17th Street when officers tried to pull over 23-year-old Ayende Crawford’s car because it had illegally tinted windows.

“Our officers noticed a car with tinted windows. They tried to stop him here and gave chase. We didn’t know there was a child in the back,” Beaver Falls Police Chief Charles Jones said.

According to police, Crawford led officers on a high-speed chase through the city for several minutes, failing to comply with numerous traffic signs before eventually stopping and surrendering.

During a search of Crawford’s vehicle, officer said they found his 2-year-old daughter in the back of the car. Police reported she was in a car seat, but not properly buckled. She had vomited on herself, police said.

“The speeds were so fast at times that the baby was being jostled all around, in and out of her car seat. She was very scared,” Jones said.

Channel 11 News investigated and learned Crawford was on the most-wanted list in 2012, but was arrested at the hospital when he visited his pregnant girlfriend while she was in labor. (Click here to read previous story.)

Crawford faces a preliminary hearing Friday on several charges, including endangering the welfare of children and attempting to elude an officer.