SPRINGFIELD - A Clark County Sheriff's Office deputy was injured Sunday evening after the suspect in a high-speed chase rammed into the deputy's cruiser after fleeing police for for more than an hour.
At press time, the State Highway Patrol had not released the identities of those involved in the accident.
The suspect fled Champaign County deputies in a purple Ford Ranger around 4:45 p.m. The chase spanned four counties - Champaign, Montgomery, Greene and Clark - and ended on Ohio 72 at Hedgely Road when the suspect ran over a stop stick and hit the deputy's cruiser around 6:30 p.m. Troopers said the chase ranged from 40 mph to 100 mph.
Once the driver hit the stop stick, "he didn't lose control, he deliberately accelerated towards the deputy," said Lt. Ray Martin of OSP.
Both the suspect and the deputy were transported by medic to Springfield Regional Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Ohio 72 remained shut down for several hours as the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated the crash.
OSP Sgt. Chris Colbert said the suspect is wanted on several felony warrants, but exactly how the pursuit began is still unknown. Troopers also said there were initially three people in the vehicle, but the driver dropped two of them off at some point.
The chase took law enforcement through at least five or six different jurisdictions, and it was called off at several points before the suspect was spotted in Montgomery County and the chase resumed through Enon, Yellow Springs, Clifton and then north on Ohio 72.
Stop sticks were deployed several times unsuccessfully before they were used at Ohio 72 and East Possum Road, ending the pursuit.
Colbert said troopers tried to use the sticks early in the pursuit to avoid an accident. "The longer things go on the more things are at risk," he said.
The suspect will now face possible charges of aggravated vehicular assault, assault on a police officer and eluding in addition to his original charges.
Area residents say this is the third accident on that stretch of Ohio 72 in the last several months.
Steve Durst, who lives on the 200 block of Ohio 72, said he heard the accident and came outside in time to see the suspect exit the damaged truck and stumble into the road.
"It's kind of dangerous here with the hill and everything," Durst said. "It's hard pulling out (of the driveway)."
He said two different cars hit a neighboring fence earlier this year.
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