The Akron Police Department released chaotic body camera footage on Saturday from an incident on Feb. 28 that started as a disturbance at a restaurant in Springfield Township, and prompted a police pursuit that ended in Summit County involving a semi truck and a police shooting.
Springfield Township Police released their body camera footage on Monday.
The disturbance began at an IHOP on South Arlington Road, where Springfield Township Officers were called for reports of a man, 34-year-old Jeffrey Latson from Georgia, causing a scene.
Police said Latson got into a verbal altercation with an IHOP employee.
RELATED: Officer injured after semi-truck pursuit begins at Springfield Township restaurant
Police said the Latson then left the restaurant, got into a semi truck and drove to a nearby Walmart parking lot.
Officers tried to stop the truck— even by climbing on it— but investigators said the driver sped up suddenly, throwing a Springfield Township officer to the ground, which resulted in a broken leg for the officer.
The driver took off and headed to Akron, where Akron Police and the Summit County Sheriff's deputies joined the response.
The semi hit several cars, including police cruisers, prompting two Akron officers and a sheriff's deputy to fire their guns at the truck.
Latson was shot and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. After the shooting, the semi struck several parked cars in a parking lot.
Springfield Police filed the following charges against Latson:
- Aggravated menacing
- Obstruction of official business
- Willful fleeing
- Felonious assault on a police officer
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave.
