CLEARFIELD – A wanted Coalport man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after reportedly leading state troopers on a pursuit in late January and being found in possession of drugs.
Kenneth J. Selvage, 59, was originally charged by Trooper Shane M. Buffone of the Clearfield-based state police with felony possession of firearm prohibited, contraband/controlled substance and fleeing or attempting to elude an officer.
He was also charged with misdemeanor intentional possession of controlled substance and use/possession of drug paraphernalia, plus 15 summary traffic-related offenses.
Online court documents indicate Selvage waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on all the charges, except for the felony contraband charge, which was withdrawn. He’s currently being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Buffone was briefed about an active warrant for Selvage when he came on duty Jan. 25. The warrant stemmed from an alleged assault that occurred at the Coalport Minit Mart during the midnight shift.
It was noted that Selvage was believed to be operating a two-door, maroon in color Lincoln sedan and Troopers Christopher Wilson, Lance Howell and Buffone responded to the Coalport area.
At approximately 6:10 p.m., Buffone turned south onto Lumber Street and observed a vehicle back out from a driveway at the corner of Lumber and Hickory streets. Because it was a narrow roadway and dark, the trooper maintained his position.
The driver, however, turned the vehicle back around in the driveway in order to head in the opposite direction. At this point, Buffone discovered it matched the description of the suspect vehicle from the station’s be-on-the-lookout alert.
The vehicle proceeded south on Forest Street, east on Laurel Street and then south on Railroad Street towards Heverly Boulevard (state Route 865). The trooper was able to close in and obtain the registration information for the vehicle.
Howell ran the information from his patrol unit and found it was the vehicle Selvage was believed to be driving. Buffone continued to follow the suspect vehicle and waited for additional troopers to arrive in the area.
As Buffone followed the vehicle, it crossed the double, centerline several times and progressively picked up speed, according to the affidavit. At Dillion Road, the driver reportedly failed to use their right turn signal and to stop at a posted sign.
When the vehicle turned onto Dakota Ridge Road in Beccaria Township, Buffone activated his emergency lights and siren. However, the driver reportedly failed to stop and instead accelerated.
He continued to flee for several miles passing two other motorists traveling in the opposite direction and putting their lives in danger, the trooper said.
The pursuit ended on Bridgens Street in Gulich Township where Buffone utilized a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) to stop the vehicle, which subsequently lost traction and spun 90 degrees at approximately 15 miles per hour.
The driver, Selvage, fled on foot and was pursued by Buffone for approximately 50 yards until he (Selvage) raised his hands signaling that he was “done.” He was then taken into custody and escorted back to the patrol unit.
As Selvage was subject to a custodial search, he told the trooper he was in possession of “some weed.” Though it wasn’t found on him, the trooper reportedly found a smoking pipe, a container of 14 Hydrocodone pills and one loose pill.
Upon arrival on-scene, Howell observed a fully-loaded Moseberg 20-guage shotgun in plain view on the front seat of Selvage’s vehicle. Other drugs and related paraphernalia were also found inside the vehicle.
Items included a plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine inside a fake soda can, a smoking pipe and an orange pill bottle with suspected marijuana. Selvage was transported to county jail, and his vehicle was towed from the scene.
While he was being transported to the jail, Selvage was asked again if he was in possession of any drugs. He said he had weed on him, but it had already been seized by troopers from a pill bottle in his vehicle.
During an in-take search at the jail, corrections officers found suspected marijuana in Selvage’s left, front pocket, which Buffone seized.
In the affidavit, it was noted that Buffone conducted a criminal history check and discovered Selvage is a felon. He said that Selvage is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of previous burglary and escape convictions.
