South Fayette man charged with multiple ‘street racing’ incidents while fleeing police

A South Fayette man has been charged with rioting, fleeing police and other charges in connection with a street racing incident in downtown Pittsburgh the night before the Pittsburgh Marathon.

Police said 32-year-old Jason Stotlemyer fled two attempted traffic stops.

Pittsburgh police were called to the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Stanwix Street at 11 p.m. on May 4 for a report of vehicles drag racing and performing “doughnuts” on the street.

When police were at the scene, they saw a gray Dodge Charger with distinctive features such as a black hood and gas cap cover, a large antenna and tinted windows and windshield.

According to police, there was also no license plate.

According to court documents, police were able to get a glimpse of the driver, whose window was partially rolled down.

The driver fled the scene of the accident towards Allied Boulevard. A second police cruiser attempted to stop the car as it passed the intersection of First Avenue and Smithfield Street because the driver was destroying several fences erected for the Pittsburgh Marathon.

Police shared information about the car with state troopers, who said they believed it was Stotlemyer, whom they had previously charged in connection with a similar street racing incident on July 21, 2023, on the Fort Pitt Bridge. He was charged with aggravated assault after his flight from police resulted in a police officer’s vehicle being struck.

Two months earlier, Stotlemyer was also charged by Monroeville police following an incident at a street race.

Pittsburgh Police investigators discovered an Instagram account believed to be linked to Stotlemyer with multiple videos and posts showing both Stotlemyer and the gray Dodge Charger from the May 4 incident. In one of the videos, a woman holds up a Maryland license plate that says “WILL RUN.”

Police ran the license plates through their license plate recognition system and came back with an address on Boyce Road in South Fayette, according to court documents. South Fayette police confirmed it was Stotlemyer’s address.

In other videos, Stotlemyer posted how he performed a “burnout” in the Charger and how he interacted with a Pittsburgh police officer. Using two letters and two numbers, police were able to recognize part of the Pennsylvania license plate to find a gray 2019 Dodge Charger registered to Stotlemyer.

Stotlemyer is charged with reckless driving, reckless endangerment, rioting, criminal mischief and fleeing police.

“After speaking with Mr. Stotlemyer last week when rumors of his involvement began circulating, I am surprised that charges have been filed,” said Stotlemyer’s attorney, Casey White. “We look forward to resolving these allegations in court.”

Stotlemyer has more than 20 traffic citations from 2018.