An Allentown man wanted in two neighboring counties faces one felony count of fleeing and eluding in Upper Hanover after crashing his vehicle in a ditch and rolling over during a police pursuit. Rafael FR Capellan Diaz, 22, is also charged with misdemeanor reckless endangerment and 11 summary offenses.

            At 10:46 p.m. on April 16, a state trooper traveling on Pillsbury Road when clocked a white Toyota Camry traveling at 45 m.p.h., 10 miles over the posted speed limit, for 3/10 of a mile. The vehicle's rear lights were also malfunctioning; making it appear as if the vehicle was in reverse, according to law enforcement officials.

            The trooper activated his lights and sirens before the intersection of Pillsbury Road and Vic Lane. However, the Camry failed to yield and accelerated to 60 m.p.h. The vehicle then ran two stop signs on State Street, at the intersections with 4th Street and with 3rd Street. After passing another car headed in the opposite direction, the operator lost control of his car and drove into a ditch on the right side of the roadway, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

            Diaz, who was wanted on active arrest warrants in Northampton and Bucks counties, appeared to have sustained major injuries when he was entrapped after the car came to rest on its roof on 3rd Street near the intersection with Church Road in the township. He had to be extricated from the car and was flown by helicopter to Reading Hospital, according to information provided by the state police.

            Authorities determined that the registration plate did not belong to that car and that the driver had no valid insurance information. Diaz was discharged from the hospital and transported to the Pottstown Police Department prior to his arraignment, according to information provided by the state police.

           During an April 17 formal arraignment, Montgomery Township District Judge Andrea Hudak Duffy set bail in the case at $5,000 monetary. Diaz was remanded to Montgomery County prison. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on April 26, according to information posted on a state judicial website.

           East Greenville and Pennsburg fire companies needed 15 minutes to remove the driver from the wreckage. Upper Perk ambulance provided medical treatment at the scene. Upper Perk Police were also present after being called to assist by state police.