Charges follow assault, high-speed pursuit

Kevin Bryden

BY STACI WILSON

A Susquehanna man is behind bars after he ran a woman off the road, assaulted her and led police on a high speed chase.

Kevin Michael Bryden, 35, was taken into custody Friday in Thompson Twp., following a two day search that began with the assault of a female on Wednesday, April 25 in Great Bend Twp.

According to an affidavit filed in New Milford District Court, the victim told police Bryden began following her vehicle, with two child passengers, on Wednesday morning near the New York State line. He pulled the black Jeep Grand Cherokee he was driving into the left lane and began ramming the driver’s side of her vehicle as she drove south towards Hallstead.

She kept driving, but slowed, and Bryden used the Jeep to repeatedly ram the rear of her vehicle.  According to the affidavit, Bryden continued to ram the victim’s car until she lost control and crashed into a bridge on the left side of the road.

The victim, who is four months pregnant, then exited her vehicle to check on two children who were in the back seat. But Bryden was there and grabbed her by the neck and punched her in the eye, according to the statement the victim gave police later that morning at the hospital.

The assault continued as Bryden, according to the affidavit, dragged her across the road and was punching her in the stomach while stating, “lose this baby, now it’s time for you to die.”

After punching, kicking and slamming the woman into both vehicles at the scene, Bryden got into the Jeep and fled the scene, while the woman got her children and ran to the nearest home for help.

According to the affidavit, police observed abrasions on the victim’s knees, a cut lower lip, an abrasion over her right eye, and an abrasion to her rib cage. She was also complaining of abdominal pain.

One child had an abrasion on the neck from the seatbelt, and the other child had a bruised hand after being partially ejected from a car seat when the victim’s vehicle struck the guide rail.

At about 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police responded to a report of a man breaking through a door of an apartment on Hinkley Dr., Great Bend Twp.

The resident of the apartment told police a man broke through the entry door and began yelling for a woman, demanding to see her before finally leaving the residence. The man, however, took a photo of the man’s vehicle as it was leaving – a black Jeep Grand Cherokee. The man identified Bryden as the person who had smashed to door to gain entry to his apartment.

Police immediately spotted the Jeep turning north onto Route 11 from Route 171 and activated his siren and lights.

According to the affidavit, Bryden began speeding up, failing to pull over for police.

The pursuit, which topped speeds of greater than 100 mph numerous times, began on Route 11, went across the state line into New York, crossed over to Route 7, then back into Pennsylvania on Route 29 in Liberty Twp.

From there, Bryden traveled onto Forks Hill Road, Franklin Hill Road, Booth Road, Ebbs Corner Road, then reached Route 706 west in New Milford Twp. and continued to Route 167 south in Bridgewater Twp. and Route 2024 in Brooklyn Twp.

Bryden again entered Route 11 south, where the police patrol car became disabled due to a failed pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver.

The area was canvassed for the Jeep by Pennsylvania State Police, Gibson units; PSP, Dunmore; PSP, Tunkhannock units; and Susquehanna County local law enforcement agencies.

At about 7:15 a.m. on Friday, April 27, just over 48 hours after the initial assault occurred, Bryden was taken into custody at 3925 Little Ireland Rd., Thompson Twp. The Jeep was also located at the same location and impounded at PSP, Gibson.

Two separate set of charges have been filed against Bryden in connection to the assault, and the police pursuit.

Bryden faces one first degree felony counts of aggravated assault; two first degree felony counts of aggravated assault – victim less than 13 years of age; three misdemeanor counts of simple assault; a misdemeanor count of terroristic threats; and three misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person; as well as related summary charges.

He was arraigned on the charges Friday by and bail was set at $250,000.

He also faces additional charges stemming from the break-in at the apartment and police pursuit, including a first degree felony count of burglary; a second degree felony count of criminal trespass; a third degree felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and misdemeanor charges including criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, and over 100 other summary offenses related to the police pursuit.

He was arraigned on those charges Monday in New Milford District Court and bail in that case was set at $50,000.

Bryden is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Monday, May 21 in New Milford District Court.

1 Comment on "Charges follow assault, high-speed pursuit"

  1. I hope the punishment is severe. This guy obviously can’t function in a civilized society. Thank God nobody was injured or killed in the high speed chase.

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