According to court papers filed by Shenandoah Borough Police, Emmanol Diaz Villafana, 21, of Shenandoah, was behind the wheel of a silver BMW 535 when officers attempted a traffic stop around 10:25 p.m. in the 100 block of East Centre Street. Instead of pulling over, Diaz allegedly accelerated at a high rate of speed, recklessly passing vehicles and crossing the double yellow line multiple times as he fled eastbound on East Centre Street and then onto Route 54 (Suffolk Road).
Police say Diaz continued to flee despite the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and sirens and was able to temporarily evade visual contact with pursuing officers. The chase came to an end at the intersection of Suffolk Road and Patriotic Hill Road, where Diaz’s vehicle crashed into a fence along the wood line.
Diaz and two other male occupants were held at gunpoint until backup officers arrived. All three were taken into custody without incident. Police later identified Diaz as the driver and confirmed that he was operating the vehicle with a suspended license.
During questioning, Diaz reportedly admitted he knew he was fleeing from police and claimed the backseat passenger urged him to run. That passenger, identified as Julio Polanco, was found to have an active bench warrant in Schuylkill County for failure to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge related to possession and display of documents. He was taken into custody. The front seat passenger was released.
As a result of the incident, Diaz is facing multiple charges, including:
- Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officer (Felony 3)
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Misdemeanor 2)
- Reckless Driving (Summary)
- Driving at an Unsafe Speed (Summary)
- Careless Driving (Summary)
- Driving with a Suspended or Revoked License (Summary)
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 19, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker.