INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — There have been three stolen car police pursuits in the Greater Cleveland area in the last week, two of which ended in crashes in Cuyahoga County.
Saturday, Fairview Park Police noticed stolen Kia plates, which then launched a pursuit on I-480. That pursuit ended in a crash after the stolen Kia crossed four lanes of traffic, clipping a charter bus carrying Baldwin Wallace students.
The other that led to a crash happened on Monday, starting in Elyria and ending on I-490 in Cleveland.
This latest one happened earlier this morning in Independence. Police said the suspect drove a stolen car the wrong way on I-480 and crashed the vehicle into a barrier wall on State Road in Parma.
Independence Police said the pursuit started on Brecksville Road near Chestnut Road. An officer noticed a suspicious vehicle with the driver's side window smashed in, and that's when the officer started to follow.
From dash-cam, an Independence police officer gives the play-by-play as he begins trailing a car with stolen plates.
“It’s going westbound and eastbound lanes on 4-80 right now,” said the IPD officer.
The officer tries to pull over the car but then starts picking up speed.
“My speed is 90. I am trying to catch up to it,” said the officer. “Trying to take it out. Going reverse to traffic.”
The suspect crosses over the grassy median driving the wrong way heading westbound on I-480 in the eastbound lane.
“My speed is 100,” said the officer. “Still trying to keep up to it. Still 500 yards out. His speed is probably 110. We are in a high-speed lane reverse of traffic.”
The suspect tried to exit off I-480 but then got back on the highway. He soon crashed on State Road.
“He’s got heavy smoke, and his vehicle is 100% damaged,” said the officer.
“The officer was compelled to continue following this driver because he had created a life-threatening situation. The suspect chose to put others at risk, I am happy to hear that no officers or innocent motorists were injured due to this suspect’s reckless actions.”
The suspect has been arrested. This isn’t his first run-in with the law. News 5 checked and the suspect had an outstanding felony warrant with Akron, and other warrants for crimes in Lakewood, Beachwood, Rocky River, and Cleveland. He remains behind bars at Independence Jail.
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