Penn Hills man charged with leading police on chase while DUI with 2-year-old on lap
A Penn Hills man was arrested after allegedly leading police on a high-speed pursuit from Monroeville to Pittsburgh while a 2-year-old was sitting on his lap.
According to law enforcement, it all began on Center Street in Monroeville. When it was all said and done, it would involve a chase some 10.3 miles, lasting 17 minutes, three police agencies, a man allegedly driving drunk carrying a large amount of cocaine, a PFA and a 2-year-old child.
According to court records, a Monroville police officer saw a white BMW fly past him along Center Street. The officer followed the vehicle to a Speedway gas station at the intersection of Center and Old William Penn Highway. The driver, later identified as Daniel S. Chisolm, was at the gas pump and saw the police car pull up. Police say he took off along William Penn Highway, reaching speeds of 70 mph, but was soon boxed in by traffic.
According to police, the officer was able to get behind Chisolm by construction on Old William Penn near an overpass. Police said the officer told Chisolm to turn off the car and throw the keys out the window. The officer noticed there was a child on Chisolm's lap.
Police said the whole incident lasted about one and a half minutes, during which the officer tried to talk to Chisolm but said Chisolm was making no sense. A couple of seconds later, Chisolm took off again.
The officer reported that Chisolm appeared to be intoxicated. Approaching Thompson Run Road, police say Chisolm, with the child sitting on his lap, was allegedly driving 70-plus mph in a 35 mph zone, at times nearly clipping the guardrails and nearly hitting oncoming traffic.
Penn Hills officers then joined the chase along with Pittsburgh police, but terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns. Officers did, however, continue to follow Chisolm, who slowed down as he entered the Lincoln Lemington section of Pittsburgh.
The pursuit finally came to an end along Wiltsie Street, and when he was finally removed from the car, police found a large amount of suspected cocaine in his front pocket, and he was also carrying his 2-year-old child.
The child was OK and was given to his mother, who lives nearby. According to police, the mother of the child also had a protection from abuse order against Chisolm. He told police he was under the influence of marijuana, cocaine and alcohol.
Chisolm is being held in the Allegheny County Jail, facing a long list of charges including endangering the welfare of a child, driving under the influence, drug possession and 11 other counts.