Two people in custody after chase

BATH, N.Y. (WIVB) - State Police came under fire during a wild, high speed chase on the southern tier. The shocking story has crossed both state and county lines. Now, a man and woman are under arrest.

The pursuit lasted close to 13 hours and ended with two people in custody, one facing two counts of attempted murder.

It all started early Tuesday morning after a routine pull over. It started around 3 a.m. Tuesday near Hornell in Steuben County, when state police say a man and a woman in a pick-up truck rammed a police cruiser that was pulling them over, then shot at it with a rifle, narrowly missing the troopers inside. That's when police called off the pursuit.

Acting on a tip, troopers say they cornered the couple at the Level Acres Trailer Park in Wellsville, fired tear gas into the trailer, and caught them jumping out a rear window.

Only News 4 was there as one of the suspects was arraigned in Bath Tuesday night, 38-year-old Richard Vangorden, of Addison, is charged with attempted murder and weapon possession.

He said in court that he never intended to hurt the troopers.

“There's no question that this could have been a very very different and tragic situation. The evidence indicates that he missed these troopers by inches. This was a heartbeat from being fatal. So clearly his actions are very different from what his words were,” said Steuben County Assistant District Attorney Brooks Baker.

The female suspect is in the hospital and hasn't been identified or charged with anything yet.

Vangorden is being held without bail and is expected to be back in court later Wednesday. The female who hasn't yet been identified, will be arraigned when she's released from the hospital.