A Washington C.H. man was charged with fleeing & eluding and driving under suspension after allegedly leading authorities in a vehicle pursuit on Monday.

At around 3:30 p.m. Monday, a Fayette County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol on Old US 35 near Inskeep Road in Jefferson Township. The deputy was heading northbound when he observed a vehicle cross the center line into the deputy’s lane of traffic, according to reports.

The deputy wrote in his report that the vehicle forced him to take defensive action in order to not be struck head-on. The deputy activated his overhead lights and sirens, and turned around to pursue the vehicle. At this time, the vehicle accelerated up to speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour, reports said.

The vehicle turned onto Yeoman Road and then onto Bloomingburg New Holland Road. It traveled across State Route 41 from Prairie Road and then turned onto Hickory Lane. As the driver was navigating the curve on Hickory Lane approaching State Route 38, he reportedly drove off the left side of the roadway into a bean field, and then entered the roadway before coming to a stop.

The deputy made contact with the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle — identified as Harrison L. Branham, 20, of 765 Peddicord Ave.

Branham was also charged with speeding (98 in a 55 mile per hour zone), a marked lanes violation, and failure to control. He was released from the Fayette County Jail Tuesday after his arraignment with an OR bond and house arrest electronic monitoring.