Fredericktown Police Seeking Information in Early Morning Pursuit

 

Fredericktown Police Chief Roger Brown said, on Saturday, October 7th at approximately 5:42 am, Fredericktown Police Patrolman Josh Jones attempted to stop silver Mercedes SUV on S.R. 95 West at the Village limits for a fictitious license plate and no front plate.  The driver failed to stop and began fleeing from Ptl. Jones.

 Plt. Jones pursued the vehicle west bound on S.R. 95 to Pinkly Road where they turned north on Pinkly. The pursuit continued on Pinkly Road and as the driver of the fleeing vehicle approached the stop sign at the intersection of Pinkly and Salem Roads, he failed to stop, turning west onto Salem Road and continued to flee from Jones at speeds over 70 mph, Brown said.

 Chief Brown said, Ptl. Jones requested that Knox County 911 Dispatch notify Fredericktown Police Lieutenant Kyle Johnson of the pursuit. Base on officers having a license plate number from the fleeing vehicle, possible surveillance video of the vehicle occupants who were in a local convenience store prior to the pursuit, road conditions, substantial risk of harm to the officer, the vehicle occupants or others and the nature of the minor violation that initiated the traffic stop, Lt. Johnson requested the pursuit be terminated.

Ptl. Jones terminated the pursuit as he and the fleeing vehicle entered Township Road 178, Morrow County, Brown said. Jones then observed the vehicle turn into a driveway in the 3900 block of Township Road 178. Chief Brown said, once Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers arrived at Jones’ location, they approached the driveway and determined the suspect vehicle had driven through the yard and to the side of the residence.

 Brown said, once Lt. Johnson, Knox and Morrow County Deputies arrived at the scene, officers approached the side of the residence, but the vehicle was not there. It was determined the vehicle continued traveling through several fields, pastures, brush, fences rows and through another yard before it reached Twp. Road 121, Morrow County where it fled the area, Brown said.  

Chief Brown said, on Saturday afternoon FPD received information the Mercedes was parked abandon on Twp. Road 108, Morrow County. Deputies responded to the scene and located the vehicle. The vehicle was impounded and the Fredericktown Police Department will be seeking a search warrant so we can process the vehicle to assist in positively identifying the driver and occupants of the vehicle, Brown said.

 The case remains under investigation.