A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly shooting a dog and then leading police on a chase through Lorain.
According to the police report, a woman called police just after 1 a.m. and said a man had shot her dog multiple times.
The report stated the suspect, Ricardo Johnson, was playing cards at the woman's home on Madison Avenue after a baby shower when he started arguing with another man about money.
Johnson allegedly left the home and then went back in with a firearm. According to the report, he pointed the gun at the man he was arguing with and demanded his money back.
When the other man reportedly said, "you ain't going to shoot me," Johnson allegedly lowered the gun and shot a dog that was in a cage.
He also pointed his gun at a woman in the home, who said "don't shoot me, I have a daughter upstairs," according to the report.
Johnson then got in his car and left.
Police caught up with Johnson as he was turning eastbound on West Erie Avenue from Madison Avenue.
They followed him onto Leavitt Road and then West 21st Street, where they attempted a traffic stop in the area of Pole Avenue, according to the report. The pursuit continued onto Oberlin Avenue and police tried to block the street but Johnson drove around the officers.
The chase ended after he pulled into a vacant parking lot at West 22nd Street and Broadway Avenue. As an officer was trying to block Johnson from pulling into traffic, his cruiser slid on ice and struck the suspect's car, the report stated.
Police said the chase lasted, in total, about eight minutes and reached a high speed of 65 mph.
Police said Johnson's eyes were red and that there was a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. He was arrested on charges of aggravated menacing, endangering children, heaving weapons under disability, discharge of a firearm on prohibited premises, prohibitions concerning companion animals, OVI, willful disregard of safety, compliance with lawful order of a police officer and fleeing.
The dog was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The owner decided to put him down after learning that he would need extensive surgery.
