PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio– Pickaway County Deputies were led on a wild high-speed pursuit Thursday, around 9 a.m.
Sheriff Matthew Hafey said that 9-1-1 dispatch received a call of a suspicious individual at the Pilot Truck Stop on route 23 at Pittsburgh Road.
According to reports, a male subject appeared to be under the influence in a black Ford Fusion. Sheriff Matthew Hafey said that a second call was received by dispatch a short time later from the Logan Elm Marathon gas station.
Deputies arrived at the scene as the subject was pulling back onto the highway. It was then, Sheriff Hafey said, the driver failed to pull over for a traffic stop initiated by the responding deputy.
The driver fled northbound on route 23, law enforcement officials said. That is when troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol joined in the chase.
Troopers attempted to deploy spike strips to disable the vehicle, but according to the Sheriff, their efforts were only partially successful.
The pursuit continued along route 23 at a high rate of speed before ending near the area of Sheppards Road.
The driver, Jeffrey Allen Howard II, 34, Plain City, was taken into custody without any further incident, officials said.
Sheriff Matthew Hafey said that upon further investigation it was discovered that the vehicle was stolen from a rental company. Howard, according to reports, also had arrest warrants out of Hillard, Ohio.
No further details were available, and the incident remains under investigation.