Mary Alice Reporting –
A late-night pursuit ended with the driver going to jail and the passenger to a hospital with a non-life-threatening bullet injury.
The Sunday incident started with the Ohio State Highway Patrol at approximately 11pm when a New Philadelphia Post Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a 2014 Ford Explore for a turn signal violation, on Interstate 77, near the Strasburg exit. An OSP release notes the vehicle exited the interstate and pulled into a gas station parking lot. The trooper requested backup and once on scene, a rear-seat passenger left the Explorer, and the vehicle pulled away initiating a pursuit.
around 11:15pm, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office was called to assist with the chase on Fort Laurens Road.
The vehicle continued to the intersection of Schnieders Crossing and Blacksnake Hill Road, where Deputies attempted to deploy stop sticks, says Sheriff Orvis Campbell.
“The suspect vehicle made a very drastic swerve directly at two deputies that were out. Both of them attempted to move and flee. One of them felt that his life was at risk and he ended up firing at the vehicle.”
The vehicle continued on and according to Campbell, the driver, identified as 43-year-old Carl Brown, of Gnadenhutten, called 911 and dispatch convinced Brown to pull over, which he eventually did on the Zoar Levee.
“Confirmed that the female passenger had been struck with a bullet in the lower leg, and she was treated and released from a Canton hospital for a non-life threatening injury. As part of our normal protocol, we called in the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and asked them to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances into the shooting, and that is normal policy.”
Also, as part of policy, the deputy who fired the shot is on leave pending the investigation and assessment before returning to work. No law enforcement officials were injured.
The Sheriff adds that Brown was arrested for an outstanding warrant from the Southern District Court and will face other charges related to the pursuit. He is incarcerated in the Tuscarawas County jail.
No further details from the State Patrol have been available as the investigation continues.
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