BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Chautauqua County man is accused of stealing a New York State police vehicle after he was handcuffed and placed in the back.
Police said 41-year-old Bryan D. Ells was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation on Aldrich Street in the Village of Gowanda around 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. Ells appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and allegedly gave a false name while being questioned. Police said he was known to have a warrant from Chautauqua County and was handcuffed and placed in the back of a state police patrol vehicle.
According to police, while the vehicle that was stopped was searched, Ells allegedly got into the driver's seat of the patrol vehicle and drove off.
State police and the Erie County Sheriff's Office pursued the stolen patrol vehicle and located it behind a residence on Gowanda Zoar Road in the Town of Collins. Ells allegedly drove at high speed toward an Erie County Sheriff’s vehicle, nearly striking it, as law enforcement arrived. The stolen patrol vehicle was later located off Eaton Road in Versailles and Ells was allegedly hiding in a nearby residence.
Ells was arraigned in Town of Collins court on multiple charges and ordered held at the Erie County Holding Center.
Below is the list of charges Ells faces:
- Third-degree grand larceny
- Third-degree escape
- Second-degree reckless endangerment
- Third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle
- Petit larceny
- Second-degree obstructing governmental administration
- Reckless endangerment of property
- False personation
- DWAI-Drugs
