Candor man facing multiple charges after high speed chase

By Nicole Lamberti —

A Candor man is facing multiple felony weapons charges and additional charges after he allegedly fled law enforcement in a stolen vehicle with a loaded handgun in the Town of Maine on Monday.

According to a press release issued by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, Samuel J. Pierce, 21, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, loaded in the second Degree, a class C felony; criminal possession of a weapon with a previous conviction in the third degree, a class D felony; criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth Degree, a class E felony; criminal possession of stolen property / vehicle in the fourth degree, a class E felony; criminal possession of a firearm / knife in the fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor; unlawful fleeing a police officer in the third degree, a class A misdemeanor; reckless endangerment in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor; and 17 various traffic violations including aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle with three or more open suspensions for his alleged role in the incident.

Police shared that in the early afternoon on Monday, Jan. 29, Broome County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of a stolen 2015 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck fleeing law enforcement through the Town of Union.

Sheriff’s road patrol located the vehicle on Bradley Creek Road and initiated a traffic stop, police said.

The driver of the vehicle failed to stop and proceeded to flee officers at a high rate of speed, police stated.

Police added that a pursuit began and continued to the intersection of Pitkin Hill Road and Fredericks Road, where the stolen truck slowed down and two juvenile females exited the vehicle into a field on the side of the road.

Following this, the vehicle continued to flee patrols at a high rate of speed, ignoring emergency lights and sirens before getting stuck in a large amount of mud in the front yard of a residence near the corner of Haskins Road and Bradley Creek Road in the Town of Maine, police said.

Police stated that responding law enforcement then took the driver, Pierce, into custody.

A loaded Kimber 9mm handgun was inside the vehicle, police said. The handgun and the pickup truck had been reported stolen from Lawton, Pa. earlier in the day.

Police added that Pierce also had an outstanding warrant out of Tioga County for criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.

Additionally, the two juvenile females were in possession of small amounts of methamphetamine and were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, police said. The two juveniles were then picked up by their guardians.

Police stated that Pierce was arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Correctional Facility.

The New York State Police and the Endicott Police Department assisted the Broome County Sheriff’s Office.

“Excellent work by our BCSO Road Patrol in bringing this individual to justice safely and responsibly,” Sheriff Fred Akshar said in the press release, adding, “Thank you to our partners at the NYS Police and Endicott Police Department for their help in getting this individual off our community’s roads and into custody.”