Philadelphia man charged with leading police on high-speed chase that ended in Salisbury Township farm field crash waives preliminary hearing

A Philadelphia man charged with leading multiple police agencies on a high-speed chase in a stolen car before ultimately crashing in a Salisbury Township farm field will have his case proceed to county court after waiving his preliminary hearing last month.

Exavier Manuel Velez, 18, waived his preliminary hearing before Judge Raymond Sheller on Jan. 23 on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, receiving stolen property, unlawful body armor, firearms not to be carried without a license, agricultural vandalism, criminal mischief and flight to avoid apprehension, three misdemeanor offenses including driving under the influence and 12 summary traffic offenses.

Velez is accused of speeding away from West Lampeter Township police and Pennsylvania State Police as they chased him along eastbound Lincoln Highway during the early morning hours of Jan. 14. Police later determined that the vehicle Velez was driving had been reported stolen by police in Philadelphia.

State Police troopers arrested Velez as he attempted to flee on foot into a nearby cornfield after ditching the crashed vehicle shortly before 3 a.m. A second person in the vehicle also fled into the cornfield and has not yet been identified.

Police had managed to slow the vehicle as it sped along the highway by deploying spike traps that deflated both passenger-side tires. The vehicle ultimately crashed into a farm field when Velez and a second occupant began running away.

Troopers discovered a handgun with an extended magazine in the vehicle’s cupholder. The firearm is a “ghost gun” that does not display a serial number.

Other items including body armor, multiple tools to aid in vehicle thefts and two stolen license plates were also found inside the car.

While in police custody Velez admitted to having recently ingested marijuana.

Velez remains in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Tyler Serafini filed the charges.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.