November 19, 2009

Penn. firefighters rescue fugitive, officers stuck in ravine

By Bob Kalinowski
The Citizens' Voice

PITTSTON TWP., Penn. — A fugitive wanted by authorities in Louisiana bolted from a traffic stop Tuesday night and led police on a foot pursuit that ended when he and three officers got stuck at the bottom of a 30-foot ravine.

The officers detained and handcuffed Marc Keating, 33, at the bottom of the embankment off Tedrick Street and waited for firefighters to deploy their rope-rescue equipment to bring them to street level.

"Once you're down there, you're down there. It's easy to get down, but not to get out. We were just stuck," said Hughestown Borough Assistant police Chief Darrin Bidwell, who came to assist Pittston Township police during a traffic stop with Keating's vehicle.

Bidwell said Pittston Township police stopped Keating's vehicle after spotting him commit a traffic violation near the intersection of Oak Street and the Pittston Bypass.

Keating, who lives in Pittston, stopped his vehicle on the bypass near Galli's Auto Sales. Police soon determined Keating was wanted on warrants for drug charges out of Louisiana and received word authorities there wanted to extradite him.

About 15 minutes into the stop, Keating fled from his car, across the Bypass and behind homes on Tedrick Street, Bidwell said.

Bidwell, Pittston Township Officer Pete Hockenbury and Jenkins Township Officer Kevin Novackowski gave chase. They followed Keating down the embankment.

Keating tried to run up the opposite side of the embankment, but it was too steep, Bidwell said.

Hockenbury pulled him down to the bottom on the gorge and Keating was placed in handcuffs.

The officers, sounding fatigued, reported to county 911 officials they had a subject detained at the bottom of a drainage ditch and needed help getting out.

Fire crews arrived and helped police take the suspect to Tedrick Street and into a police vehicle.

Police said Keating is facing escape and fugitive from justice charges, and possibly more. He was being taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility as of press time.

"It was good it was a catch. I hate when they get away," Bidwell said.

Pittston Township Assistant police Chief Len Trotta credited how the officers helped one another to bring about a successful arrest.

"The bottom line is teamwork worked within these police departments," Trotta said.