LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — What started out as a traffic stop for a speed violation on I-90 eastbound Thursday morning turned into a driver fleeing from state troopers, jumping a guardrail into a ravine near Vrooman Road before he was later taken into custody, according to Sergeant Ray Santiago, of Ohio State Highway Patrol.
At around 1:47 a.m., state troopers stopped a vehicle for a speed violation on I-90 eastbound near milepost 202. During the traffic stop, troopers discovered the driver had an outstanding felony warrant.
The heavy police presence caused the left lane of I-90 to be closed for more than an hour.
When troopers attempted to take the driver into custody, he fled the scene in his vehicle and a pursuit was started.
Shortly into the chase, the driver exited the vehicle and crashed it at Vrooman Road. He fled on foot into a wooded area, Santiago said.
As the search was underway, a deputy from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office located the driver walking along I-90 eastbound.
When the deputy attempted to stop the driver, he fled on foot again, jumping a guardrail which led to a wooded area.
A tracking K-9 located the driver in a ravine where he was taken into custody. A stolen firearm was recovered from the vehicle.
The driver was injured during the foot pursuit and was transported to Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries, Santiago said.
The traffic stop and arrest remain under investigation.
