Driver Charged After Speeding Past Halloween Crowds, Claiming Devil Possessed Him
Kyle Pulaski, 41, was arrested in Freeport after fleeing a traffic stop and telling police at a gas station that the devil controlled his actions.
By Leila Mansour ·
A 41-year-old man was arrested after telling police that the devil had taken over his body while he sped past families gathered for a Halloween parade in Freeport.
Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department officers were closing Fifth Street to vehicle traffic ahead of the event when Kyle Pulaski drove a silver sedan down the road. Families had already lined the sidewalks on both sides. An officer attempted a traffic stop and briefly halted Pulaski at an intersection. When asked to lower his window, Pulaski refused and accelerated past the gathering crowd.
Pulaski drove his vehicle to a BP gas station on Buffalo Street and parked inside. Officers gave him repeated commands to show his hands while he stood in the store. Chief Hunter Tackett stated that Pulaski claimed the devil made him drive and that the spirit was inside him. Pulaski also remarked that the parade had not started yet and questioned whether it was Halloween.
When Pulaski moved to run down an aisle, officers deployed a taser before taking him into custody. The criminal complaint notes that Pulaski screamed during the encounter that he would not listen to police. After his arrest, investigators said he smelled of alcohol and admitted to drinking. He declined emergency medical treatment but went to Allegheny Valley Hospital for a blood test.
Pulaski faces charges for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, and speeding. Police said they increased staffing for the event following a similar incident in 2023. The department now blocks major intersections and discourages pedestrians from crossing the street during parades.
Abby Depetro attended the parade with her three young children. She recalled seeing the car fly down the street at high speed. "He was going pretty fast. I was really nervous," she said. Police confirmed the driver did not steer directly toward the crowds when entering the street, though he passed close to them.
The incident occurred on Wednesday. Police thanked residents for their cooperation in a written release.
