Maryland fugitive stopped in PA

A high speed chase that began in Hagerstown ended at the Marion exit on I-81 and a gunman was taken into custody last Wednesday morning.

Anthony David Medeiros, 32, 137 Fairground Ave., Hagerstown, was apprehended when his Dodge Durango failed to make the turn at the top Exit 10 onto Route 914. He became airborne over a 25-30 foot embankment. Upon landing, the vehicle caught fire and Medeiros fled. A passenger was found at the vehicle.

Construction workers on the overpass helped authorities locate Medeiros hiding under black plastic several hundred feet away. He was taken into custody without incident. His female passenger was transported to Chambersburg Hospital with injuries.

Hagerstown Police received a report of shots fired in the area of East First Street and Pope Avenue at 6:33 a.m. Aug. 1, according to Sgt. Dave Long. They found three shell casings and witnesses stated a male had fled in a silver Dodge Durango.

Long found the vehicle at the Sharpsburg Pike AC&T. While he waited for backup, a female exited the store and got in the vehicle. When Long attempted to stop the driver, later identified as Medeiros, he fled west on Interstate 70 and threw items out of the window.

When retrieved, they were discovered to be a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a box of ammunition.

Medeiros continued north on Interstate 81. Hagerstown Police, Maryland State Police and Pennsylvania State Police were all involved in the pursuit, with Medeiros reaching speeds of 110 miles per hour and running vehicles off the road.

Medeiros was charged with three counts of first- and seconddegree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a handgun in commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, transporting a handgun in a vehicle and numerous traffic charges.

Hagerstown police said Medeiros shot toward an empty house. No one was injured in the shooting that precipitated the event.