Man charged after leading police on 140 mph chase in Centre County, hiding in woods for hours

A Delaware man was arrested Saturday after leading police on a early morning chase through Centre County that reached nearly 140 mph and ended with an hourslong search in a wooded area.

Gordon E. Mallary covered about 21 miles before he ditched his 2016 Mazda6 in a cornfield and hid in the woods for about four hours, state police at Rockview wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. The search included both aviation and K-9 units.

The chase began about 2:50 a.m. Saturday along Interstate 80 westbound. Mallary’s vehicle did not have taillights or a license plate, police wrote.

As he drove off, police wrote Mallary committed several traffic violations and was “swerving all over the road.” He also slammed on his brakes and caused a crash, police wrote. The charging document did not make clear who was involved in the crash or the severity.

In addition to I-80, the chase covered portions of Drain Lick Road, Kylertown Drifting Highway and Rolling Stone Road. He fled from the sedan about 3:10 a.m. and was found about four hours later, police wrote.

Investigators estimated it caused about $5,100 in damage, but wrote that an actual estimate was pending contact with the property owner.

Police did not allege in the charging document that Mallary, 23, was impaired. It also did not say he was a suspect in any other crimes.

No defense lawyer was listed. The Centre County Public Defender Office said it has not been appointed to represent him as of Monday afternoon.

Mallary was charged with felony counts of fleeing and agricultural vandalism, as well as a dozen summary traffic violations. He was arraigned Saturday by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, who denied bail and described him as an “extreme public safety risk.”

Mallary is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 17.