A Mahanoy City man was captured after jumping into the Little Schuylkill River following a hit-and-run in Hometown yesterday afternoon.

The man, identified as Jeff Taylor of Mahanoy City, had crashed his gray sedan into a white gated fence located in front of a Hometown residence. Taylor, who was on parole, then walked away from the accident and headed on foot down the Hometown Hill. Seeing this, neighbors called 911.Within minutes, police from Rush Township and Tamaqua, Hometown firefighters and fire police volunteers, who were all controlling traffic on the Hometown Hill, worked together to locate and track the man. After seeing police, Taylor slid down a steep earthen embankment to Taggertsville Road. With officials in pursuit, he then continued north by jumping into the Little Schuylkill River."Don't make me come in after you," said Josh Grim, firefighter, Hometown Fire Company, who stood on the bank of the river watching Taylor as he tried to elude police.After wading in the cold water for a while, Taylor made a dash for the mountains north of the river. Tamaqua Police Officer Matthew Houser was quick to follow Taylor up the embankment and apprehend him.He was escorted by the officers back to Taggertsville Road via railroad tracks, where he was treated by paramedics with the Tamaqua Ambulance.A parole officer arrived a short time later and took Taylor into custody.According to police, drug paraphernalia was found in the vehicle.