‘He was driving directly at them’: Court documents reveal details of dangerous pursuit on Route 30

NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. — A man is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car on a busy state highway.

Court records show Julian Johnson told police he planned to die after he led them on a high-speed chase along Route 30, which began when he took off once an officer approached him at a gas station.

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“A fool driving like that, he could hit me,” said Cheryl Howell who recently moved to the area.

The pursuit that ensued at times reached over 90 miles per hour and spanned through several busy sections of Route 30.

Some drivers are questioning the need for the chase at all.

“I do think, ya know, the police should just think about the other drivers too,” said Maria Catone of North Huntingdon Township.

According to court documents, Johnson drove over medians, into oncoming traffic, swerved between lanes, and drove directly at other drives.

Quotes directly from the criminal complaint include:

• “Drove over the median into oncoming traffic,”
• “Vehicle continuously crossed the double yellow line”
• “He caused multiple people to drive off the roadway as he was driving directly at them”
• “The driver drove directly into oncoming traffic lane which is a blind bend”

An officer put out spike strips near Bud’s Smokehouse, but Johnson swerved to miss them. Then, another officer tried to pin Johnson, but Johnson sped up and hit the officer head-on, leaving him with a severely damaged car and an injured neck.

Even after that Johnson continued to drive with a smoking car through North Versailles, North Braddock and Wilkinsburg, where he was eventually was taken into custody. 

He faces 29 charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Police later found out the car Johnson was driving was stolen.

Police say when they arrested Johnson, he asked them why they didn’t shoot him and said he had intended to die that evening. He also said he wished he had shot at police first.

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