High-speed chase in stolen car leads to charges for Minoa man

On Sept. 4, 2022, a Canastota police officer attempted to perform a vehicle-and-traffic stop on a 2016 Hyundai Elantra sedan, which had been reported stolen out of the town of Manlius. The vehicle failed to comply with the traffic stop and fled at a high rate of speed.

The Hyundai was involved in a collision with a vehicle in Chittenango prior to fleeing into Onondaga County.

Pursuing Canastota and Chittenango police units discontinued pursuit once the car crossed the county line.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., Madison County dispatch advised that the 2016 Hyundai Elantra was observed entering Madison County on State Route 92 in the town of Cazenovia. At this time, the vehicle was being observed by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Air 1 helicopter, and no police units were actively pursuing the vehicle.

Air 1 continued to monitor the vehicle as it sped through the towns of Cazenovia and Nelson. Eventually, as the vehicle travelled northbound on Nelson Road in Nelson, the operator lost control, striking the front porch of a residence before impacting the side of an abandoned home.

No injuries were reported as a result of the collisions.

Following the collision with the abandoned home, the operator of the Hyundai fled the scene on foot. Onondaga County Air 1 relayed the subject’s location to responding Madison County Sheriff’s deputies. Deputies were able to take the subject into custody as he was attempting to forcibly steal another vehicle behind an apartment on State Route 20.

Following the incident, Justin LaPier, 36, of Minoa, was charged with:

• Second-degree attempted robbery, a class D felony
• Fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a class E felony
• Second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a class A misdemeanor
• Fourth-degree attempted grand larceny, a class A misdemeanor
• Resisting arrest, a class A misdemeanor
• Third-degree menacing, a class B mMisdemeanor
• Reckless driving, an unclassified misdemeanor
• Numerous vehicle and traffic infractions

Following the arrest, LaPier was transported to the Madison County Jail, where he was arraigned in CAP Court. Following arraignment, LaPier was remanded to the custody of the Madison County Jail without bail.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this investigation by the Town of Manlius Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Air 1, the New York State Police, the Cazenovia Fire Department and CAVAC ambulance.