Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to pulling a blowtorch and driving into officers: ‘I was doing drugs’

Pennsylvania native, John D. Taylor, pleaded guilty on Tuesday for the offense of driving a vehicle into officers in an attempt to use a blow torch against them. During the hearing, Taylor admitted that the incident occurred due to his substance abuse.

The incident, which happened in October of 2019, resulted in two officers being injured. Taylor had been using drugs prior to the incident, and was caught by the police officers. In response, he took out a blowtorch and drove his car towards them.

According to court documents, Taylor acknowledged that he was familiar with the blowtorch prior to the incident, and used it in an effort to cause harm to the officers.

When asked his reasons for the attack, Taylor explained that he was under the influence of drugs and that he felt threatened by the officers.

When the judge asked if Taylor had any further statement, he replied, “I was doing drugs and it made me do something I would not have done otherwise.”

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced in December. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the crime.

The Pennsylvania native’s admission of guilt serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of substance abuse. It also highlights the bravery of the officers, who risked their lives to protect the public.