LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — A 36-year-old man is in jail after stealing a woman's purse and car before leading authorities on a high speed pursuit Saturday morning, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Around 10:57 a.m., deputies were called to the 1800 block of Mentor Avenue in Painesville Township for a reported theft of a vehicle. Once on scene they found the vehicle's owner in the parking lot of a business.
The owner told deputies that she was unloading her 2020 Honda Odyssey when she was approached by a man who grabbed the purse that was on her shoulder and tried to pull it away from her, according to deputies.
Deputies said the man then used force to take the woman's purse from her and told her he was taking her car too.
After taking the woman's vehicle, the man fled westbound on Mentor Avenue.
The business the woman was at called 911 and in addition to informing the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Mentor Police Department was also notified and quickly located the stolen vehicle traveling in Mentor.
Mentor police attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the man driving the stolen vehicle fled, heading towards Interstate 90 and entering the highway at a high rate of speed.
As the man continued to flee police, the Willoughby Hills Police Department also joined in the pursuit. Authorities attempted to deflate the tires on the stolen vehicle but the man was able to evade that and exited I-90 at state Route 91 in Willoughby Hills, deputies said.
The man struck another vehicle while on the exit ramp and the stolen vehicle became disabled in the roadway, allowing officers to take the man into custody.
Officers later identified the man as 36-year-old Beau Bortnick. Bortnick suffered minor injuries from the crash and was taken to Lake West Hospital for treatment before being booked in the Lake County Jail and charged with robbery, theft, and theft of a motor vehicle.
Deputies said additional charges will follow as authorities continue to investigate.
