Altoona man caught after high-speed city chase: ‘What’s your problem man?’

ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — An Altoona man who was wanted after a high-speed chase in the city was caught and placed in Blair County Prison.

Kyle Lasko, 33, was arrested just a few days after police reported he was wanted for a high-speed chase while disregarding all public safety, including crashing into an SUV driven by a 69-year-old woman. He was wanted on multiple parole warrants.

Lasko was spotted in the city on Lexington Avenue around 3 p.m. May 21. He was followed to Wendy’s parking across from UPMC Altoona, according to charges filed. When an officer attempted to approach the red GMC truck he was driving, he allegedly looked at the officer in the rearview mirror before yelling, “What the ***** your problem man?”

At that point, the officer said Lasko sped off from the parking lot and through the grass only to enter the parking lot again. According to the criminal complaint, Lasko sped through the lot toward Rite Aid, narrowly missing a truck before going the wrong way down Chestnut Avene toward Juniata Gap Road.

During the chase, police said that Lasko hopped the curb on Chestnut before darting across the median into the proper side of the Avenue. Lasko had also hit a silver SUV head-on, leaving the 69-year-old driver with minor injuries. According to the charges, Lasko ran multiple lights and stop signs in front of Norfolk Southern. Officers decided to end the chase out of safety concerns for pedestrians and other motorists.

After advising backup that the chase was stopped, police received another call that the red GMC had crashed on the 1100 block of 8th Avenue. When police arrived, the GMC was 40 yards from the road along a treeline and missing a front tire. It was noted in the charges that the plate on the GMC showed as a “dead tag” for a Nissan. Three baggies of suspected heroin were also found on the floor of the truck.

Various police departments, including the Blair County Sheriff’s Office, shared on their Facebook pages that Lasko was wanted . Less than three days later, he was arraigned and placed in Blair County Prison with bail set at $100,000.

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Lasko is facing a slew of traffic violations along with felony fleeing, flight to avoid apprehension and receiving stolen property as well as misdemeanor charges for the SUV crash, reckless endangerment and evading arrest.

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