HOCKING COUNTY, Ohio — Hocking County Sheriff says two men led deputies on a high-speed chase after trying to illegally purchase narcotic medications from a pharmacy on Wednesday.
According to the Sheriff’s office, the Sheriff’s Interdiction Unit, an intelligence-based unit that focuses on more organized crimes and violent offenders, was notified of two individuals at a local pharmacy attempting to fill fake prescriptions.
Deputies said the two subjects upon seeing them jumped into their car and fled the scene. That is when, reports say, deputies gave chase to the suspects.
The high-speed pursuit continued on route 33, where law enforcement officials say additional assistance was requested from the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies attempted to use spike strips to disable the suspects vehicle but were unsuccessful according to police reports.
The suspects continued traveling toward Columbus at very high rates of speed. Franklin County Sheriff deputies and officers with the Columbus Police also joined in the chase.
The two suspects continued onto the I-270 Columbus Outerbelt and soon exited to East Broad Street when the vehicle collided with another car. Officials say the crash occurred at the intersection of East Broad Street and Blosson Field Boulevard.
Witnesses of the crash said the collision was so severe that it pushed the suspect’s car into two additional vehicles. Deputies said the two suspects then fled on foot but were apprehended shortly after.
According to reports on the scene, two motorists were injured in the crash. Those individuals were taken to Mount Carmel East for treatment. Their names and the extent of any injuries was not immediately released.
Arrested were Najiib A. Yusuf, 21, and Sadiq M. Mohamud, 21, of Columbus, Ohio.
Hocking County Sheriff Lanny North said both individuals face multiple felony charges.
Court records show that the two men were arraigned in the Hocking County Municipal Court and are being held on a $100,000 bond.
