A Nazareth man has been charged with drug possession after crashing into several vehicles in a Mahoning Township car dealership.

Mahoning Township Police Department detailed the case against Noah Barrasso:

At 10:18 p.m. Feb. 7, a crash was reported on Blakeslee Boulevard Drive East at Lehighton Kia, with the dispatch indicating the vehicle’s occupants fled toward the Carbon Plaza Mall.

A witness said a man and woman were in the car when it crashed. Frace determined that the vehicle was traveling west on a straight section of roadway at a high rate of speed when it went off the right side, with five vehicles in the Lehighton Kia parking lot being damaged.

The vehicle’s occupants, Barrasso, 20, and Leah Purcell, were detained by Lehighton police behind the Carbon Plaza Mall, with Barrasso identifying himself as the driver.

He was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon Campus, and Purcell was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest.

At the hospital, Frace observed significant scarring on Barrasso’s arms, consistent with intravenous drug use. Barrasso told Frace he had used fentanyl, and said Purcell grabbed the steering wheel causing the crash.

Barrasso consented to a drug test, and the results of the testing showed the presence of Benzoylecgonine, cocaine, fentanyl, and norfentanyl.

Purcell had an upper jaw fracture, along with an upper left arm fracture, which required surgery.

A witness provided dash camera video footage which showed the vehicle enter the highway from the area of the Burger King before the crash. The footage also showed Purcell laying on the roadway immediately after the crash.

The witness and another motorist approached as Purcell was attempting to stand up. Barrasso ran from the scene.

Barrasso faces two counts each of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of a controlled substance; along with one count each of aggravated assault by vehicle; accidents involving death or personal injury; driving under the influence controlled substance, speeding and other driving violations.

Barrasso is in the Carbon County jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail, and will have a preliminary hearing April 5 before District Judge Casimir T. Kosciolek of Lansford.