Tina Marie Blackney, 51, was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and committed to the Schuylkill County Prison on $50,000 straight cash bail. She would later post bail on November 18th, 2025 and was released.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 25, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge David Plachko.
Officers were advised that the vehicle had moved behind Dunkin’ Donuts. Minutes later, police spotted a Hyundai matching the description and attempted a traffic stop. The driver, later identified as Blackney, refused to stop and sped north onto Route 61, prompting officers to initiate a pursuit with lights and sirens activated.
Police say Blackney drove at a high rate of speed onto East Dark Water Road, where she passed another vehicle over a double yellow line. During the chase, the Hyundai briefly stopped, allowing a male passenger to bail out and flee into nearby woods. Frackville Police chased the male while St. Clair Police continued after the fleeing vehicle.
The pursuit continued onto West Dark Water Road and West Mount Laffee Road. Officers reported that Blackney drove “carelessly and recklessly with no due regard for the safety of other drivers,” continuing at unsafe speeds before turning onto an unpaved road. There, officers encountered a large cloud of dust as the vehicle came to a stop.
Police ordered Blackney out of the car and took her into custody. A female passenger, identified as Brooke Huben, was also detained.
Once the scene was secured, St. Clair Police contacted Wal-Mart asset protection, who confirmed that several items had been stolen and placed into a large brown bag in the vehicle. While perishable food items had been paid for, all remaining merchandise had been taken without payment.
After being advised of her Miranda rights, Blackney agreed to speak with officers and admitted to concealing stolen items in her personal bag. She gave officers consent to retrieve the bag and search it.
Stolen merchandise recovered included:
- Orange hunting overalls
- A “Hello Kitty” box
- Coloring book
- Spray paint
- Air filter
- Various other items
The total value of the stolen goods was $237.29, according to Wal-Mart.
During the search, Blackney also admitted she had illegal drugs in a small pink and purple bag. Officers located a yellow glassine bag containing methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe with burnt residue. The suspected meth weighed approximately 0.6 grams and was seized for laboratory testing.
Wal-Mart provided officers with a detailed receipt and CCTV footage documenting the theft.
Blackney faces the following charges:
- Fleeing or Attempting to Elude an Officer (F3)
- Retail Theft – Taking Merchandise (M1)
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (M)
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M)
- Reckless Driving (S)
- Careless Driving (S)
- Disregarding a Traffic Lane (S)
- Driving at an Unsafe Speed (S)
Blackney is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on November 25, where the case will proceed before Judge Plachko.