Sentence partially vacated for man involved in high-speed chase
Published 11:58 am Thursday, May 27, 2021
Crystal Stevenson
The sentence for a man serving more than 15 years for leading police on a high-speed chase down Sale and Ryan streets — at times reportedly exceeding 85 mph — has been partially vacated.
Cody Nicholas Davis, 28, was found guilty on Sept. 7, 2018, of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, aggravated flight from an officer, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence and aggravated criminal damage to property.
Judge Robert Wyatt, who also presided over the trial, said the case was “one of the most notorious and highly-publicized cases he has been involved with” during his 17 years on the bench.
At trial, prosecutors told jurors that Davis, while out on parole, “led police on a highspeed chase, rammed into vehicles, drove into oncoming traffic, and ran every red light he came to.”
A dash cam video from Cpl. Andrew Malveaux’s police unit that recorded events that day show Davis driving a stolen Nissan Titan truck at a very high rate of speed, going in and out of lanes, and into oncoming traffic. The video shows Davis attempting to squeeze between two vehicles at the intersection of Sale and Ryan streets, striking both vehicles while in incoming traffic. From there he collided with a Ford F-150 truck on Ryan Street, striking the vehicle so hard it rolled over, before crashing head-on into other vehicles and coming to a stop at Ryan and Eddy streets.
Police also recovered a stolen gun in a parking lot on Ryan Street that a witness testified she saw Davis tossing from the truck.
Davis appealed his conviction to the 3rd Circuit, citing an earlier denied motion for a mistrial, an error by the trial court when it denied several challenges for cause, the state’s failure to prove he knew the gun he possessed was stolen, and a less-than-unanimous verdict for obstruction of justice.
The court upheld the majority of the convictions but vacated Davis’ charge of obstruction of justice and remanded the matter to trial court for a new hearing. The court agreed with Davis the charge is unconstitutional because it was rendered by a less-than-unanimous verdict.
A dash cam video from Cpl. Andrew Malveaux’s police unit that recorded events that day show Davis driving a stolen Nissan Titan truck at a very high rate of speed, going in and out of lanes, and into oncoming traffic.
