LANCASTER, PA – A Philadelphia teenager will serve up to 10 years in state prison after admitting to leading police on a 130 mph chase through an active construction zone that nearly killed two State Police troopers and multiple road workers.
Keniel Ian Junio Wright, 19, pleaded guilty earlier this month to a series of felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from the dangerous pursuit that began in Salisbury Township and ended in a violent crash miles away.
Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad sentenced Wright to three and a half to ten years in prison, comparing his reckless actions to a scene from a video game.
Key Points
- Keniel Wright, 19, was sentenced to up to 10 years in state prison for a May 2024 high-speed chase
- Wright nearly struck five road workers and two State Police troopers while fleeing in a stolen car
- The judge compared his behavior to “Grand Theft Auto” and urged him to use prison time to reform
Teen led 130 mph chase through construction zone
Prosecutors said Wright, then 17, was spotted by a State Trooper just before 1 a.m. on May 9, 2024, driving erratically along Lincoln Highway near Brackbill Road in Salisbury Township. When the trooper tried to pull him over, Wright accelerated through an active construction zone, swerving into oncoming lanes and narrowly missing five workers. He struck multiple cones, almost collided with a tractor-trailer, and reached speeds exceeding 130 mph before continuing into East Lampeter Township.
Near misses with troopers during pursuit
State Police deployed spike strips, but Wright managed to avoid them and continued fleeing. At one intersection, he nearly struck two troopers head-on, forming the basis of his aggravated assault charges. The chase ended when Wright lost control and crashed into private property along Lincoln Highway East, damaging landscaping before officers subdued him after he refused commands.
Vehicle stolen in violent Philadelphia robbery
Once in custody, Wright admitted to stealing the vehicle the day before from a stranger in Philadelphia. Investigators later confirmed the theft involved a robbery in which the car’s owner was assaulted and injured.
Judge warns of “bad start to adulthood”
During sentencing, Judge Conrad told Wright that he was fortunate to have survived the chase, saying, “You could have been killed that night.” The judge also encouraged the young man to take advantage of educational and vocational programs in prison. Wright’s attorney told the court that his client, a minor at the time of the crime, has since come to understand the danger he posed to others. In addition to his prison term, Wright was ordered to pay $275 in fines related to several traffic offenses.