Nazareth Man Allegedly Led Police on Chase, Tried to Ram Cruiser

A Nazareth man is charged with leading Bushkill Township police on a 10-mile chase through three townships, and with threatening to ram a police cruiser with his car.

Timothy Graves, 33, of the 100 block of S. Spruce Street, is charged with fleeing/eluding police, DUI, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and numerous traffic violations.

According to court records, a township police officer was on patrol Thursday when he saw Graves make a turn onto Clearfield Road without signaling. The officer followed and determined Graves was speeding by keeping pace with his car. The officer said Graves was driving 60.9 mph in a 40 mph zone.

The officer tried to pull Graves over, but Graves kept driving -- at speeds reaching 80 mph through Bushkill, Moore and Plainfield townships. Police say he ran through three stop signs and attempted to ram into a state police cruiser.

The chase ended when Graves crashed into an embankment along Sullivan Trail in Plainfield Township. Police detected an odor of alcohol on Graves and found beer in his car.

Court papers noted that Graves had a suspended license and no insurance. He is known to drive on a suspended license or without required financial responsibility, as evidenced by multiple citations and guilty pleas.

He was arraigned before on-duty District Judge Gay Elwell and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Graves has a checkered past filled with charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct. As recently as Aug. 3, according to court records, he was issued a citation for criminal mischief by Officer Michael Hunt of the Moore Township Police Department.