A routine traffic stop for speeding in Tuscarawas County escalated into a vehicle pursuit Monday evening before the suspect crashed, fled on foot and later surrendered to police, authorities said.
According to Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Detective Capt. Adam Fisher, the incident began around 5:36 p.m. Monday, June 29, when a Gnadenhutten police officer attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding.
Instead of pulling over, the 26-year-old Gnadenhutten man fled on River Road before turning onto Petry Hill Road. The pursuit ended when the suspect drove into trees in a wooded area near the intersection of Petry Hill Road and Echo Road.
At about the same time the suspect crashed, a Gnadenhutten police officer also struck a tree during the pursuit, Fisher said.
After crashing, the suspect ran from the vehicle and returned to his nearby home. Fisher said the man’s father later drove him back to the crash scene, where he surrendered to law enforcement without further incident.
Authorities also said the suspect briefly pulled into his own driveway during the pursuit and, while backing up, struck a Gnadenhutten police cruiser before driving away and eventually crashing into the trees.
The suspect was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for injuries before being transported to the Tuscarawas County Jail, Fisher said.
The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit, while the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crashes involving the police cruiser.
The suspect has not yet been formally charged. Because charges have not yet been filed, Jordan Miller News is not identifying him at this time.
Fisher said Gnadenhutten police expect to file charges of fleeing and eluding, assault and speeding. The reason the suspect fled remains under investigation.
