Oneonta Man Arrested After

High-Speed Police Chase

ONEONTA – An Oneonta man was arrested after allegedly ramming his car repeatedly into two Oneonta Police cars, injuring an officer and leading police on 45-minute car chase after police tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant.

James A. Hone, 62, who was wanted on a warrant for criminal contempt after allegedly violating an order of protection, was seen pulling into his driveway on Sixth Street by patrol officer Edmund Donley at 9:38 p.m. last night. After Donley identified himself and tried to arrest Hone, Hone allegedly drove his car into Donley’s patrol car. Donley managed to dive over the hood of the car and out of the way of Hone’s vehicle and followed Hone up Fairview Ave.

A second officer, Lucas Harvey, tried to block Hone on Fairview, but Hone allegedly rammed his car into the driver’s side of Harvey’s patrol car.

“He backed up, hit the car, then backed up and hit the car again,” said Police Chief Doug Brenner. “The airbag went off, so the car was inoperable.”

Donley continued in pursuit as Hone allegedly continued onto Main Street, onto the Lettis Highway and then to I-88, where he was allegedly going 80 miles per hour through a construction zone. “He hit the back of a tractor trailer, drove onto the median and around the trailer,” said Brenner.

State Police and Sheriff’s deputies joined the chase as Hone got off at the Route 205 exit, went up Airport Road and down Winney Hill Road, onto Chestnut Street and back onto 205. While in the area of Airport Road, Hove allegedly got behind another tractor trailer and had to slow down, allowing police to box him in and take him into custody.

Hove was charged with the felony charges of  Attempted assault of a Police officer with a weapon, two counts, Criminal possession of a weapon, a third-degree felony, with the car being considered the weapon, Criminal Mischief, Assault in the second degree for injuring a police officer, menacing in the second degree, unlawful fleeing in a motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, reckless driving and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident.

He was also ticketed for numerous vehicle and traffic infractions, including speeding, speeding in a work zone and running red lights.

Officer Harvey was treated at Fox Hospital for a shoulder injury and released that night. Hone was not injured. The patrol car Harvey was driving has been totaled; Donnelly’s car sustained damage to the front bumper and has been taken out of commission for the time being.