YORK COUNTY, Pa. — State Police arrested a 23-year-old woman Thursday after she allegedly fled a traffic stop, drove into a cornfield and jumped out — fleeing on foot and hiding — while the vehicle was still in motion.
Tesla Wetzel, who has no fixed address, also left a front seat passenger in the vehicle when she jumped out. The passenger told State Police that she didn’t know who Wetzel was as she was just hitching a ride with her and added that she pleaded with the suspect to stop during the chase.
The pursuit began around 8:56 p.m. Thursday on Route 74 on Chanceford Township, York County when a trooper attempted to pull Wetzel over for a suspended registration. State Police wrote in the charging documents that the chase continued onto Pomraning Road, Lucky Road and Canning House Road as well as New Bridgeville Road and Furnace Road, where she reached a speed of 80 miles per hour and went into oncoming traffic.
Charging documents say Wetzel entered the cornfield from Gipe Road, where crops were damaged.
Wetzel was located hiding in a nearby field. A search for the suspect included an aviation unit, State Police ground units and a K9 unit.
Wetzel, who State Police alleged smelled like alcohol, has been charged with agricultural crop destruction, flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing or attempted to elude police, DUI, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, operating a vehicle without proof of financial responsibility and numerous summary offenses, court documents show.
