A Carbon County man pleaded guilty on Monday in the county court to charges of flight to avoid apprehension, driving under the influence and recklessly endangering another person.

Tyler James Silbaugh, 27, of Nesquehoning, entered his pleas before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

He was arrested on July 26 by Lehighton police in the 300 block of North First Street.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed, officer Matthew Bender was on a traffic stop in the 300 block of North First Street when a blue Toyota came speeding around the corner off the bypass and lost control, sliding around the turn, over the curb, and into the lawn median. Officer Trevin Green started to flag the driver to pull into the parking space with his flashlight on strobe in the middle of the roadway. The driver pulled out and onto First Street, then accelerated toward Green, who had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit by the vehicle.

The car, driven by Silbaugh, turned onto Coal Street and accelerated up the hill. Both Green and Bender attempted to find the vehicle.

Bender then went back to the original traffic stop to wait for a tow truck when he observed a vehicle similar to the one that went past coming off Coal Street onto North First Street. Bender followed the vehicle.

The vehicle turned right onto North Street as Bender went back to the original traffic stop. As Bender approached the intersection and started to go onto North First Street, the blue Toyota passed right in front of the police vehicle going the wrong way on a one-way street in the 300 block of North First Street, almost striking the police vehicle.

Bender followed, activating his emergency sirens, and the vehicle pulled over on the street near the end of the 400 block of North First Street.

Bender smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverage from the driver, who was placed in custody and taken to the patrol unit. Silbaugh admitted to drinking and heard over the police vehicle radio that other police units were looking for him due to a call from his girlfriend to do a welfare check on him because he was out driving intoxicated.

Bender requested the driver take a test, which he agreed to, and had a reading of 0.10.

On the flight to avoid charge, Serfass sentenced Silbaugh to time-served (50 days) to one day less 24 months in prison and ordered he get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, supply a DNA sample, render a total of 200 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.

On the recklessly endangering charge he was sentenced to serve one to one day less 24 months in prison concurrent with the first charge. On the DUI he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300. The probation is concurrent with the other charges.

Silbaugh is also serving a probation violation sentence.