A Lehighton man has been charged with possession of drugs after he crashed his vehicle into a fence during a police pursuit Tuesday in Mahoning Township.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Trooper Charles Inserra of the Pennsylvania State Police - Lehighton barracks, in the case against Curtis Margle:

At 3:52 a.m. Tuesday, Trooper Mark Bower and Inserra were on patrol at the intersection of Blakeslee Boulevard Drive at Mill Road/Fritz Valley Road, Mahoning Township when they saw two parked vehicles, a white/silver Lincoln sedan and a dark blue Subaru sedan, in the side area of the parking lot of the Gulf gas station along Blakeslee Boulevard Drive.

Margle, 31, wearing a hooded jacket got in the Subaru and left the parking lot onto Mill Road without any front head lamps lit.

He turned left onto Blakeslee Boulevard Drive, turned on his lights and then began traveling east on Blakeslee Boulevard Drive. Police pulled out and began following the vehicle, and Margle increased speed. Inserra determined that the state police patrol vehicle reached and maintained a speed of greater than 75 mph for a distance of greater than 1 mile.

Police tried to conduct a traffic stop on Blakeslee Boulevard Drive near Seneca Road. Instead, Margle turned right onto Troxell Road without using any turn signal, and continued south at a high rate of speed without pulling over.

Inserra determined the patrol vehicle reached speeds of greater than 50 mph in a 35 mph posted roadway. Margle drove through a stop sign at Troxell Road and Mahoning Mountain Road and then turned onto Summer Mountain Road.

He lost control of the car, and landed in the front yard on the 100 block of Eckhart Lane, destroying a portion of fencing.

Margle got out of the car and ran away. Troopers caught him a short distance from the car. Inside the car, Inserra found a plastic bag containing what appeared to be a large amount of suspected methamphetamine and marijuana sitting on the front passenger side seat.

Inserra asked Margle if he had used any drugs or alcohol before driving, and he stated he possesses a medical marijuana license, and currently utilizes multiple prescriptions. He said it had been a couple days since he last used methamphetamine.

Margle was then transported by Lehighton Ambulance to St. Luke’s Carbon Campus for medical evaluation. Police told him he was being arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. A blood test was requested.

Margle faces charges of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; fleeing or attempting to elude officer; driving under influence of alcohol/controlled substance; intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered; resist arrest/other law enforcement; driving while blood alcohol content 0.02 or greater while license suspended; failure to stop at stop sign and or failed to yield to vehicle after stopping at sign; turning movements and required signals; excess 55 mph in by 20 mph; careless driving; reckless driving; failure to stop and provide information to owner of unattended vehicle or property; and operated vehicle without lighted head lights and other lamp.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $40,000 bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Feb. 2 before District Judge Casimir T. Kosciolek of Lansford.

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