Suspect with felony warrants escapes after police pursuit in New Philadelphia

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (June 6, 2024) – A police pursuit through residential streets and alleys Wednesday ended with the suspect escaping after crashing into a home’s gas meter.

Captain David Morris says the pursuit started around 4:21 p.m. when an officer spotted Matthew Swinderman, who had felony warrants out for his arrest. The officer attempted a traffic stop on the Geo Tracker Swinderman was driving on 5^th Street NW, but he fled along streets and unnamed alleys in the area of Union Avenue NW and Park Avenue NW.

Morris says when speeds reached over 60 MPH on alleys and through major intersections, police called off the chase due to safety concerns.

They eventually found the Geo Tracker abandoned after it had apparently struck a gas meter on a home on Orchard Avenue.

Callers on Union and Orchard avenues reported seeing a man hiding between houses and in the bushes. Police were unable to locate him. Morris says they are now pursuing an additional warrant against Swinderman for felony fleeing and eluding.

Morris is asking anybody who sees Swinderman to anonymously report him to the New Philadelphia Police Department.

The gas company was able to quickly repair the line after briefly shutting off the gas to just that single home.

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