The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

May 29, 2009

UPDATE: Driver testifies at preliminary hearing for Washington

By Courtney L. Anderson

SHARON — The man driving the car Kevin Washington was riding in when police arrested him April 13 said Washington told him to keep driving as police lights blazed behind them.

Clay Sam testified Friday at Washington’s preliminary hearing on drug charges from the warrant arrest after Washington failed to show up for several court appearances.

Sam said Washington, 50, told him to keep going and to try and get away when Sharon patrolman Michael Albanese pulled over the car on Baldwin Avenue.

As Sam stopped the car, he said Washington tossed a black bag toward his feet and asked him to take it. But Sam said he threw it back at Washington, who quickly got out of the car and put his hands up for police.

Washington — who last fall was charged for fighting with police after a car chase in the city prior to escaping from an Ohio hospital — was taken into custody without incident and police found $2,188 on him, a cell phone and a long, thin piece of paper with names and phone numbers on it.

Inside the bag found on the floor of the car police found more than 50 grams of cocaine, Albanese said. Twenty-eight grams equals an ounce.

There were two bags containing a total of 26.4 grams of powdered cocaine and 32 individually wrapped rocks of crack that weighed in at a total of 25.5. grams, Albanese said.

As he drove through the intersection of Stambaugh at Connelly Boulevard, Albanese said he recognized the car Sam was driving as one police were notified earlier in the day may have been carrying Washington. And the passenger in the car ducked down in the seat as he drove by, he said.

Albanese said he did a U-turn and passed several cars to catch up and check the license plate, which matched the one of the car reported to police.

The car turned onto Baldwin Avenue without signaling and Albanese said he radioed to make sure other police were in the area before pulling it over.

Sam said he had picked up Washington, who has a baby with Sam’s sister, that afternoon when he saw him walking near a gas station in West Middlesex.

While in the store, Sam said he heard people in the store say that Washington looked like the man whose picture had been in the newspaper. Sam said Washington put up the hood on his shirt.

Sam said he dropped Washington off that evening on Stambaugh Avenue and was driving back to his sister’s house about 8 p.m. when he saw him again and picked him up shortly before police stopped them.

Senior District Judge Henry J. Russo held charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and 36 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia to court.

Washington was returned to Mercer County Jail on $125,000 in this case. He has several other cases, including charges of bringing contraband into the jail while he was held there in February, pending.

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