Leonard Hayden Jr., who led New Kensington Police on a 90-minute chase throughout a Westmoreland County public housing complex last November, pleaded guilty in March to fleeing from police and evading arrest.

Judge Christopher A. Feliciani sentenced Hayden, 25, of New Kensington, to 6 to 23 months in prison for the two felony charges and 2 years of probation for misdemeanor resisting arrest and DUI charges as part of a negotiated plea. The judge dismissed a felony aggravated assault by vehicle charge as part of the plea.

Police were dispatched to a residence on Haser Drive, part of a Westmoreland County public housing plan, just before 9 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2025 for a reported domestic dispute, according to a criminal complaint filed against Hayden.

When officers arrived, Hayden had fled the scene in his blue Mazda but soon returned, according to the complaint. Hayden sped toward the front of the police cruiser before veering away 50 to 75 feet before a collision would have occurred, the complaint said.

Hayden then drove at speeds around 70 mph throughout Haser and Dent drives, Zaleski Court and Seventh Street Road — all curvy, residential streets — occasionally driving through yards between and behind homes, according to the complaint.

At one point, the arrest papers said, Hayden turned around and passed the pursuing officer only to end up on Dent Drive — a dead-end street. Undeterred, Hayden drove over the hillside, into some woods and back out into an open field before ending up behind the building where the incident had begun, the complaint said.

From there, he fled on foot into the woods, the complaint said. Officers found him in a drainage tunnel, where he was ordered out under the threat of being bitten by a police dog, the complaint said.

That was nearly 90 minutes after the call came in for the domestic dispute.

Police said they believe Hayden was intoxicated and his car smelled strongly of marijuana. He declined a blood draw at the police station, the complaint said.

Leonard’s defense attorney, David Mulock, declined a TribLive request for comment.