ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A high-speed pursuit through two counties on Dec. 8 ended in a crash on Schaffer Road, with the driver fleeing on foot and remaining at large, according to a report from the Ross County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began early Sunday morning when deputies, responding to an unrelated call, observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Route 772. The driver reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign and crossed into oncoming traffic before turning onto Denver Road. Deputies, the report states, activated their lights and sirens, but the driver accelerated, initiating a pursuit.
The chase continued along Denver Road, Mt. Tabor Road, and Clines Chapel Road, with the vehicle reportedly violating multiple traffic laws. The pursuit ended on Schaffer Road when the vehicle crashed into a ditch. Deputies saw a male suspect exit the vehicle and run into a wooded area. Despite an extensive search, the suspect could not be located.
The vehicle, identified as a blue Toyota Scion with expired tags, was registered to a person in Washington Court House. Inside, deputies found a loaded .22-caliber revolver and a cellphone. Both items were secured as evidence for further forensic analysis, including DNA testing.
Deputies searched a nearby abandoned house and attempted contact at an address linked to the vehicle but were unable to locate the suspect. Authorities confirmed the suspect has active felony warrants in Pike County and a history of fleeing law enforcement.
The vehicle was towed to the Ross County impound lot for additional processing. The cellphone is being analyzed under a search warrant to aid in identifying the driver, and the revolver has been submitted for DNA testing.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Ross County Sheriff’s Office.