Wild Car Chase Through Cleveland Heights Ends In Arrest

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — A random registration check on a passing vehicle led to a wild car chase and foot pursuit on Saturday.

A Cleveland Heights officer was watching traffic on Coventry Road at about 12:30 a.m. When a black Ford Focus rolled by, the officer ran a registration check. The car had been entered as stolen.

The officer then pulled into traffic and started following the Focus. The driver of the Ford must have noticed the cops were following because he turned right on Euclid Heights Boulevard and then sped off.

That's when the patrolling officer threw on his lights and sirens and gave chase. When the pursuit approached the intersection of Euclid Heights and Cedar Road, the Focus blew through a red light but then lost control and drove off the road.

The Focus careened up a hill, through bushes, before rolling back down. Somehow, the car avoided hitting any major objects near the Cedar Glen Parkway. But when the car crashed back onto the road, the impact disabled the car.

That's when the driver of the Focus hopped out and started running, according to police records obtained by Patch. The pursuing officer again gave chase, this time by jumping out of his cruiser and running after the suspect.

The officer chased the suspect down and brought him to the ground. Back-up officers then showed up and helped restrain the man, eventually getting him into handcuffs and taking him to Cleveland Heights Jail.

The suspect, a 36-year-old East Cleveland man, was also carrying suspected marijuana in his front pocket, police said. The weed was collected and placed into evidence.

The 36-year-old faces likely charges for fleeing and eluding, receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. He was cited for speeding, failing to stop at a red light, reckless operation and failure to stop.

The stolen car was towed to a lot and the owner was contacted.

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