Freedom Township Chase Lands Woman in Jail, Man on the Run

A Saxton woman is behind bars after the car she was a passenger in led Freedom and Greenfield Township police on a chase, and when it was over, the discovery of drugs.

Heather M. Miller, 29, is facing multiple drug-related charges after police discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia in her possession after the pursuit.

According to the charges filed by Freedom Township police, on Oct. 11, an officer was in the area of Johnstown and Cream Hollow Road, Freedom Township, when he observed a silver Hyundai stopped at the intersection for an “unusual amount of time.” When police checked the vehicle’s registration, the plate came back as stolen from Chester County.

When police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle accelerated south on Dunnings Highway at a high rate of speed into Greenfield Township. The pursuit was joined by Greenfield Township police as the Hyundai turned onto Ski Gap Road toward Blue Knob.

Police said they momentarily lost sight of the Hyundai around the Blue Knob ski resort when it passed the pursuing Greenfield Township officer who turned around and followed the vehicle before it crashed into a utility pole in the area of Overland Pass and Village Lane.

Police said the driver and passenger exited the vehicle and fled into the woods on foot. Police were able to apprehend the female passenger, later identified as Miller.

Police said a search of Miller’s purse turned up five hypodermic needles, a broken methamphetamine pipe, multiple plastic bags, a plastic bag containing a white powdery substance of suspected cocaine or fentanyl and seven individually packed plastic bags containing a stamp bag of suspected controlled substances.

Police said when questioned, Miller told them she was with a man named “Billy” and he instructed her to grab the bag of paraphernalia and controlled substances and run.

Police said Miller told them that there were firearms in the vehicle and that they retrieved an orange case along with a black lock box and a backpack from the vehicle and will search them once a warrant is obtained.

Police noted that Miller was arrested a few weeks prior to this incident by Freedom Township police at the Freedom Township Walmart for possessing a hypodermic needle and suspected fentanyl.

Miller was charged with a felony count of possession with intent to deliver as well as misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and flight to avoid apprehension.

She was arraigned by Martinsburg Magisterial District Judge Andrew Blattenberger and placed in the Blair County Prison on $200,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for today, Oct. 21, in front of Blattenberger.