The unidentified driver of a gray Subaru was stopped somewhere on Route 34 between Waverly and Van Etten about 10:20 p.m Saturday.
An officer reporting on the police radio said that he could see the driver drinking something after he stopped his car.
About two minutes later, there were shouts of “Back off. Back off.”
Then came the statements, “The suspect is down” and “Shots were fired.”
However, in a moment came the news, “We have him in custody.”
After the arrest, police said they would shut down Route 34 while they waited for the arrival of a Greater Valley ambulance.
There was no indication if anyone was injured.
The events began shortly before 10 p.m. when reports came over the police scanner that a state trooper had been involved in a shoot-out with someone in a gray Subaru near Nichols.
The Subaru took off west on Interstate 86/Route 17 and was spotted getting off at exit 61, one of the two Sayre exits.
One report said the driver asked someone for directions to Route 81.
A report a few minutes later had the Subaru speeding north on Route 34 toward Van Etten, being chased by Waverly and Sayre police.
Meanwhile, officers from the Spencer-Van Etten area began heading south on Route 34.
Police from throughout the area who were not involved in the chase set up staging areas on main roads in Alpine, Erin, toward Ithaca and other areas.
Early information on the shoot-out was scarce, but reports did say someone in the Subaru had a shotgun and that shots were exchanged with a state trooper.
There was no information later Saturday night about the suspect’s identity.
