Elkton Man Arrested After Multi-State Stolen Car Chase

State of MD - On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, shortly before 2 p.m., a Maryland State Police trooper from the North East Barrack spotted a stolen vehicle on Rt 213 in Cecil County, Maryland. The car was a silver 2016 Ford Focus that had been reported stolen out of Elkton.

Police identified the driver as Justin Burchett, 42, of Elkton. He had several warrants out for his arrest, including one for felony first-degree assault connected to a recent Pennsylvania State Police case.

Investigators say the driver was speeding, running red lights, and passing other vehicles on the shoulder. One of the vehicles he passed on the shoulder was a school bus. Police said his driving was consistent with impaired driving.

The trooper tried to pull the car over on Route 213 in Elkton, but the driver did not stop. A pursuit followed, and the trooper was cleared to continue into Pennsylvania on Blue Ball Road.

Pennsylvania State Police were notified and sent several troopers to the state line to help. While on Route 10 near Route 896 in Oxford, Pennsylvania, the Maryland trooper's patrol car hit a Honda minivan that was not involved in the chase.

The minivan driver was not hurt. The trooper was flown by Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.

The search for the Ford Focus continued. At 4:20 p.m., investigators with the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division found the car backed into a parking space in the 1400 block of Pulaski Highway in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

As troopers walked up to the car, police say the driver pulled forward, hit a state police vehicle, and drove off.

At about 5:45 p.m., investigators found the car again at a gas station in the 1200 block of Main Street in Darlington, Maryland. Troopers from the North East Barrack and the Criminal Enforcement Division turned on their emergency lights and tried to make contact with the driver.

Police say the driver tried to leave the parking lot and hit the front of another state police vehicle. The trooper inside that vehicle was not hurt.

The Ford Focus was disabled, and its airbags went off. First responders helped the driver and a female passenger out of the car, and Harford County EMS gave aid at the scene.

The driver, Burchett, was taken to an area hospital, where he stayed under police guard until he was released. The passenger was released from police custody and is not facing charges at this time.

Troopers at the scene saw a glass smoking device inside the car. A probable cause search later turned up a small bag holding what appeared to be a controlled dangerous substance.

After leaving the hospital, Burchett was taken to the Harford County Inter-agency Processing Center, where he is waiting to see a court commissioner. He is being held on several outstanding felony warrants from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.

Maryland State Police say they are seeking more traffic and criminal charges connected to this incident.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.