Teen charged with leading officers on chase before crashing into Washington business

WASHINGTON — With just a week until taxes are due, things are hectic at McCarrell’s Tax Service. Now, after a car slammed into the business during a police chase early Saturday morning, there’s an added level of stress.

“‘We’ve only got a week to go and then we can fix everything! But for the next seven days, everything’s just up in the air,” said Wallace McCarrell, one of the owners of the business. “[It’s] just a disaster. I mean, we’re right in the middle of income tax season with week to go. We’re booked up solid.”

The driver who crashed the car into McCarrell’s business was identified in court documents as 18-year-old Jullian Lassic.

According to the criminal complaint obtained by Channel 11, Lassic sped by police on Jefferson Avenue just after midnight, nearly hitting a police cruiser.

That led officers to chase after Lassic, who ran multiple red lights and stop signs.

Police say Lassic went airborne, crashed into a telephone pole, and then the McCarrell’s building.

“I don’t know the speed or anything, but to shear that telephone pole, and then travel another half a block and then do this much damage, they had to be flying,” McCarrell said.

Because of heavy entrapment, police say Lassic and a passenger in the front seat had to be cut from the vehicle and flown to a Pittsburgh hospital. A passenger in the back seat was taken out of the back window.

Investigators have not identified the two passengers in the car.

Police said the car belongs to a mom of one of those passengers. Police said in the criminal complaint that mother is currently in jail.

The vehicle was parked at a grandmother’s house, and none of the three in the vehicle had permission to use it.

Police said the passenger who stole the vehicle told them, “She is gonna kill me!”

Police also said they found two stolen guns in the car. They said none of the three people in the car are legally able to have a gun.

They also found open and unopened alcoholic beverages, according to court documents.

McCarrell said he’s glad no one was killed, but he is focused on keeping his business running.

“Be patient with us,” McCarrell said. “We’re trying our best to get this resolved, or try to figure out what direction to go next, that’s all.”

Crews with Verizon spent Monday afternoon restoring service to the new telephone pole. McCarrell said his contractor told him it could take up to 90 days to fix the damage. He expects a structural engineer to determine whether or not they can continue working in the building until that work is completed.

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