A Palmerton man has been charged with leading police on a high-speed chase after he assaulted a woman.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper John Heffner of the Pennsylvania State Police Lehighton barracks:

At 5:07 p.m. May 22, Heffner was on patrol with trooper Matthew Lento when he was dispatched to a house in the 200 block of Pine Street, where a woman said she has a Protection From Abuse order against Darrin Griffin, 40, and he hurt her and left with their car, a black Hyundai Sonata.

Trooper Katherine Franck saw Griffin speeding west on Hahns Dairy Road. She activated her lights and sirens, but he continued west on Hahn’s Dairy Road.

He turned left onto Mill Road at a high rate of speed and crossed the solid double yellow line.

Heffner saw Griffin and activated his lights and sirens. Griffin went through the stop sign on Mill Road at its intersection with Little Gap Road.

Griffin turned left onto Little Gap Road and continued speeding, crossing the solid double yellow line and passing a vehicle.

Griffin was traveling about 100 mph as Heffner pursued him. He lost sight of him in the area of the Covered Bridge Inn.

During the pursuit, it was foggy, raining and the roads were wet.

Heffner interviewed the victim at her residence and she said that Griffin was sleeping in the bedroom and she woke him up because she wanted to put a movie in for their child.

She grabbed the car keys and went to the sunroom in the residence where Griffin punched her in the mouth and face several times. He bit her on the top of her right hand.

Griffin faces charges of fleeing or attempting to elude officer, simple assault and harassment.

He is currently incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $20,000 bail, and was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.