Two men from Lancaster are facing several criminal charges after their attempt to escape from local police proved fruitless.

According to police, they attempted to stop a vehicle headed east on Charlestown Road (police did not reveal their reason for initiating the traffic stop). The driver of the vehicle attempted to escape by driving away from the scene at a high rate of speed. The driver turned into the Manor Township Park and continued to drive through unpaved areas. The driver eventually stopped on a paved and grassy area.

As officers approached the stationary vehicle, they allegedly detected an odor of burnt marijuana near the car. Police searched the car and assert that they found 9 baggies of suspected crack cocaine, a backpack with 52 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and a pink taser. The passenger in the vehicle admitted to police that he was the owner of the cocaine and the marijuana.

Police arrested both the driver and the passenger. The driver was charged with fleeing from police and driving with a suspended license. The owner of the cocaine and marijuana was charged with possession with intent to deliver illegal drugs and possession of illegal offensive weapons. He was incarcerated in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.

The charges and evidence against the two men in this case are serious, but both men are still entitled to rely on the presumption that they are innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Anyone facing similar charges may wish to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney for an evaluation of the evidence and an estimate of the likelihood of negotiating a favorable plea agreement.