Photo by Howard Owens.
Charges have been filed against a 33-year-old man who allegedly failed to stop for a trooper in Byron and continued on at high speeds into the City of Batavia before barricading himself in an apartment on Bank Street.
Akeem Rashaad Gibson, of Washburn Road, Lockport, is charged with criminal trespass in the second degree, obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree, and resisting arrest.
At about 3:31 on Sunday, a state trooper attempted to stop a red Toyota sedan for alleged traffic violations but rather than yield to emergency lights, the Toyota reportedly sped up and led the trooper on a high-speed chase with speeds reportedly in the range of 90 mph.
As the vehicle passed GCC and approached the City of Batavia, Officer Sam Freeman, Batavia PD, deployed spike strips.
The Toyota turned into a driveway at Northside Meadows, 335 Bank St., Batavia, and the vehicle struck a small boulder near an apartment building.
The driver fled, and officers initially believed he ran into the woods but a witness informed officers that he entered an upstairs apartment.
Officers soon determined that the apartment was supposed to be vacant. It's tenant is reportedly incarcerated, according to a trooper at the scene on Sunday, and witnesses.
According to Batavia PD, officers could hear the subject barricading himself in the apartment.
A standoff ensued and officers entered into negotiations with the subject for a peaceful resolution but the subject refused to cooperate, police said.
A person known to the rightful tenant of the apartment responded to the scene and provided the officers with a key to the front door but because of the barricade, officers needed to make a forceable entry.
Offices forced them into the apartment at 5:48 p.m.
According to Sgt. Arick Perkins at the scene on Sunday and the subject was taken into custody without further incident.
While being led by officers to a patrol car, the subject made statements indicating he didn't understand why he was being arrested, why he was being taken to a State Police car when he was in the City of Batavia, and why police had reporters there taking his picture.
According to police, State Police cited Gibson for several traffic violations. A spokesman for the State Police said the case was turned over to Batavia PD.
Gibson was held following his arrest pending arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Court.
Previously:
- State police pursuing subject in Batavia apartment complex
- Charges reportedly pending against man who fled troopers, barricaded himself in apartment
Photo by Howard Owens.
