SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — A gunman fled from deputies on Friday and was arrested after a high-called chase.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman held a press conference to provide information on a high-speed pursuit involving an armed suspect.
At 1:12 pm, the 9-1-1 communication center received a call reporting an attempted break-in on Houston Hollow Road. Two men fled on foot after being confronted by the resident. A deputy responded, initiating an investigation and patrolling the area for the suspects.
Later, another call was received from a male victim on Vern Riffe Drive, near the Scioto County Career Technical Center. The victim reported an armed African American male attempting to forcibly enter his locked truck. Shots were fired, narrowly missing the victim’s face. The suspect fled in the stolen truck toward the school.
Deputy Logan Shuff, assigned to the school, pursued the suspect, who continued south on U.S. 23, engaging in a high-speed chase. The suspect evaded Stop Sticks, threw items at pursuing deputies, and reached speeds of up to 140 mph. The pursuit spanned multiple counties, involving the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Portsmouth Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winchester Police Department.
The suspect, identified as Christopher Lorenzo Peake Sr., 40, of Cincinnati, was apprehended after crashing into a guardrail. Peake resisted arrest, struggled with law enforcement, and attempted to grab a firearm in the truck. He was taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center for treatment and subsequently arrested on multiple charges, including Aggravated Robbery and Felonious Assault.
Peake is held without bond and is scheduled to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Monday.