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Pa. state police still mum on why a trooper wounded a driver after pursuit ended

LOCK HAVEN — It has been a month since state police wounded a Williamsport man following a pursuit that ended in eastern Clinton County, but the reason for the shooting still has not been disclosed.

Jordan Joseph Lantz, 36, was held for court Monday, but none of his charges provide an insight into why he was shot.

His bail was revised from $200,000 cash that he had not posted to unsecured with restrictions.

The shooting occurred on May 24 on Interstate 80 in Greene Twp. near Loganton.

The pursuit began about 8:10 p.m. on Route 15 near Joe Road in White Deer Twp. in Union County, where a trooper running radar recorded a Ford F-150 doing 83 in the 55 zone.

The arrest affidavit in support of the charges states:

The driver failed to stop, and a pursuit ensued west over the White Deer Pike and onto Interstate 80 at the Jersey Shore interchange. Speeds on I-80 exceeded 100 miles an hour.

Troopers deployed stop sticks, and it is unclear from the affidavit if the truck went over them, but it states that it then passed on the right shoulder and sideswiped a heavy-duty wrecker pulling a disabled recreational vehicle.

Cpl. Steve Dunkle conducted a precision immobilization technique (PIT) to disable Lantz’s vehicle which reportedly came to rest on its side.

Clinton County District Attorney David Strouse said vehicle and body cameras captured the pursuit and the shooting.

Those videos have yet to be provided to the defense and were not played at the preliminary hearing, said Matthew Diemer, who represents Lantz.

State police did not respond Monday when asked again what provoked the shooting.

Lantz is charged with attempted aggravated assault by vehicle, fleeing an officer, driving at an unsafe speed, driving while license is suspended, recklessly endangering another person and reckless and careless driving.

The victim in the attempted aggravated assault count is the driver of the tow truck.

The recklessly endangering charge accuses him of striking an occupied vehicle during the pursuit. It does not identify the driver.

Lantz’s license was suspended because of a driving under the influence conviction, state police say.

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