A Bradford man who was accused of driving into Bradford’s water treatment plant during a high-speed chase with police pleaded guilty in two separate cases on Thursday.
Richard I. Foster, 36, appeared virtually in McKean County Court before President Judge John Pavlock.
In one case, Foster pleaded guilty to charges of resisting arrest, false identification to a law enforcement officer and possession of a controlled substance; and in the second he pleaded guilty to fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, criminal mischief, possession of an offensive weapon, three counts of DUI-controlled substance and three summary traffic violations.
According to Assistant District Attorney Ashley Shade, on Aug. 22, Foster possessed small baggies containing residue of methamphetamine. When a state trooper tried to arrest Foster, he tried to eat a baggy, fought with the trooper and provided a false name to the trooper.
Then, on Oct. 30 in Bradford City, Foster failed to bring his vehicle to a stop when a police officer used audible and visual signals in an attempt to pull him over. Foster accelerated and continued to the end of West Corydon Street, where he intentionally drove into a yellow gate, then drove into the Bradford City Water Authority plant, Shade said.
She noted there was about $100,000 in damage to water authority property because of Foster’s actions. Also, he possessed a black-handled dagger, and he tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine and metabolites of marijuana.
Foster, who was on supervision for a previous case, had his probation revoked, both for the new conviction as well as for other allegations. Pavlock outlined the following supervision violations: failing to report to the probation department after his release from jail, possessing a controlled substance and failing to have a mental health evaluation.
Foster will be sentenced Feb. 11. He remains incarcerated on $40,000 bail in the two cases.
