Berks guy drives police at 90 mph after colliding with fire truck

A Douglasville man crashed into an Oley Fire Company truck and a fire chief’s personal vehicle on Monday night in full view of a police officer, sparking a high-speed chase through parts of three communities and a covered bridge, police said.

Around 6 p.m., the Olei fire department and ambulance responded to a complaint from an off-road vehicle driver who was either asleep or in need of emergency medical attention.

When emergency personnel arrived, investigators said they found a man, later identified as 27-year-old Michael V. Konchan, unconscious in the driver’s seat of an SUV with the engine running.

The Central Berks Regional Police offered the following version:

Konchan woke up and grabbed the man’s forearm as an ambulance technician reached over to the car to turn off the engine.

The transmission was later changed to a Konchan drive.

Police officer Joshua Steingraber stopped to see what had happened. The SUV began to move, there were many rescuers around it, and half of the medic was inside.

The SUV hit the unoccupied personal vehicle of Oley Township Fire Chief Michael Cline, as well as a parked fire truck with personnel.

In the end, the medic was able to back up and get away from the SUV.

Turning onto the covered bridge road to the east, Konchan drove quickly through the town of Earl and then the town of Amity, overtaking other cars without permission and all the while ignoring the stop signs.

Konchan drove about 11 miles of the chase at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Konchan was taken into custody without issue when he drove into the Amity Township Fire Company parking lot on Pine Forge Road.

Konchan admitted to authorities that he was unable to determine when the incident began and that he was frightened when he saw he was being followed. He admitted to using cocaine and fentanyl half an hour before the event.

In his wallet, the police found many packets of possible fentanyl.

Prior to being transported to the central processing facility, Konchan from Mimosa Circle Unit 1 was transferred to Reading Hospital for unspecified medical care.

After being charged with District Judge Stephen M. Chieffo at Reading Central Court, he was allowed to await a hearing.

Along with multiple summary traffic offenses, Konchan is charged with aggravated assault, running from and evading a police officer, driving under the influence, hit-and-run, drug possession, and driving under the influence of controlled substances.

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