Wanted Person Pursuit

Case 12-018725
Monday, April 23, 2012

At approximately 9:23 AM on April 23, 2012 area police departments were notified by Montgomery County Police Radio that a wanted suspect, Thomas W. BORDEN, age 33 of Worthington Drive in Warminster, driving a blue/tan Ford Pickup truck may be in the area of route 309 southbound. BORDEN was wanted by the Schuyler County New York Sheriff’s Department for a homicide warrant issued on April 23, 2012 and by the Bucks County Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Department for a probation violation.

The vehicle was spotted by at least on police agency but was traveling at an extremely high rate of speed and was quickly lost. The truck was next seen in Cheltenham and then in Jenkintown. The Jenkintown Officer who observed the truck could not get to it in traffic but then began to search the area assuming that the fleeing truck would have also been unable to get through the traffic. He found the truck, abandoned at the parking lot of the Jenkintown Grade School at Florence Avenue and West Avenue, Jenkintown. Both Jenkintown Schools were quickly put in a lockdown status. Cheltenham, Abington and other area officers arrived to assist and began to systematically search the area.

BORDEN was observed by Cheltenham and Abington Officers walking in the area Rodman Avenue and Old York Road in Abington Township. This is approximately one mile from where the truck was found abandoned. They briefly stopped BORDEN who provided them with a false name. As the Officers questioned BORDEN he quickly broke away and ran on foot. BORDEN ran through a yard towards the SEPTA Train tracks. He ran down a steep embankment, through heavy underbrush, and onto the tracks. The officers chased him along the tracks in the direction towards Philadelphia. They observed a train moving towards them on one of the two sets of tracks. The officers saw BORDEN purposely jump in front of the train as it approached them. The officers immediately rendered first aid and called for assistance. BORDEN was transported to Abington Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Information on the New York warrant is being handled by New York State Trooper Mark O’Donnell at 585-944-8483 or mark.odonnell@troopers.ny.gov.

Approved for Release by: Deputy Chief John A. Livingood