EAST LANSDOWNE, PA — A 23-year-old Upper Darby man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he fled from an attempted traffic stop Thursday morning, striking three vehicles and injuring three people before being taken into custody.
According to the East Lansdowne Police Department, the incident began on August 14, 2025, at approximately 9:49 a.m., when Officer Stephen Mengini spotted a white BMW traveling west in the 900 block of Baltimore Avenue. Investigators allege the vehicle was connected to a prior incident in which it nearly struck an Upper Darby Police officer before fleeing at high speed.
When Mengini and officers from nearby jurisdictions attempted to stop the BMW at Baltimore Avenue and Church Lane, police say the driver, identified as Darius Javon Wheeler, immediately fled in what they described as a reckless manner, striking another vehicle and injuring its driver.
Before officers could assess the situation, Wheeler allegedly sped northbound on Beverly Avenue, where police say he collided with a second vehicle traveling westbound on Pembroke Avenue. The driver and passenger of that vehicle also sustained injuries.
Authorities report Wheeler abandoned the BMW and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by East Lansdowne and Upper Darby police officers after a brief pursuit.
Wheeler has been charged with aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, evading arrest or detention on foot, failure to render aid, and reckless driving, among other related offenses. He was committed to George W. Hill Correctional Facility after failing to post 10% of his $80,000 bail.
Police remind the public that a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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