Lockport Union-Sun & Journal — MEDINA —  A Medina man faces a multitude of charges following an early-morning car chase that police records indicate was preceded by incidents at a pair of village businesses and which put a pair of children in danger.

George J. Brown, 35, 100 Bernzomatic Drive was charged Saturday with first-degree custodial interference, a Class E felony, endangering a child under the age of 17, third-degree grand larceny, second- and third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree burglary, third-degree attempted robbery and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.

According to police reports, Brown led Medina Police and state troopers on a multi-county pursuit with two children in tow before he was apprehended after driving over spikes deployed by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Brown is further alleged to have broken into Orleans Ford and to have threatened a clerk at the adjacent Crosby’s. Medina Police are investigating additional details of the case.

Police involvement began when patrol observed an apparent altercation shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday at the South Main Street convenience store.

A person waved the officer over as Brown, in a red pickup truck, sped out of the parking lot. Police quickly learned that the vehicle was carrying two children that he had taken from a relative’s residence; they attempted to initiate a traffic stop and pursued Brown after he refused to stop.

Medina Police Chief Jose Avila praised his men for their decisive action.

“Any time there’s a pursuit, it can be a dangerous situation for the citizens and the officers, who have to make a quick decision to either terminate or continue their pursuit,” Avila said. “In this case, it was initially reported that the two children had been kidnapped. That left no doubt for the officers. They had to pursue to save the lives of the children.”

“I commend the officers, no one was hurt.”

As Medina Police and the state troopers pursued Brown southward into Genesee County, Medina Police determined that Brown had broken into the South Main Street dealership’s garage with a golf club before going into main offices and attempted to enter a model truck.

Brown is alleged to have then gone to Crosby’s and told the clerk that he had no money, but would return to the store with a shotgun if the clerk did not turn on the gas pumps for his use. The clerk refused, leading to the altercation observed by the police.

Brown was arraigned Saturday morning in Town of Shelby Court, where Shelby Judge Dawn Keppler set Brown’s bail at $50,000.

The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the Albion Police Department both assisted in the case.