Police said Bryan Edward Gallagher, 53, was driving a 2002 Ford Mustang that belonged to another person when he crashed the vehicle Saturday on Route 427 at the intersection of Lamberton and Patchel roads in Jackson Township.
Gallagher failed to maintain control of the car when he was negotiating a left curve, and the vehicle crashed into a utility pole and knocked the pole to the ground, police said. Electrical wires came down as well and power was off in the surrounding area, police said.
Gallagher left the vehicle and fled the scene, and motorists who drove by the crash saw Gallagher run into the woods and reported the incident to emergency agencies, police said.
Troopers said their investigation determined Gallagher was the operator of the vehicle and that he was driving without a license and without insurance.
Police also said he is a registered sex offender who is on parole and that he had been driving the vehicle for about two and one-half months without registering the vehicle under his Megan’s Law requirements.
A warrant was served on Gallagher Tuesday charging him with a felony count of failure to comply with registration requirements.
He was arraigned before district judge Patrick Lowrey and placed in the Venango County jail on $50,000 straight cash bail.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled Sept. 28 in Central Court.
Police also charged Gallagher with eight summary vehicle code violations in relation to the crash.
