A semi-truck driver who brandished a weapon at a vehicle repair worker in Medina County is in custody in a hospital following a pursuit and standoff that shut down I-271 for several hours Thursday.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, it started in the northbound lanes of I-271 around 3 p.m. in Granger Township when the driver pulled a weapon on the worker.
Troopers responded and located the truck, but before they could speak with the truck driver, he disconnected his trailer and drove off, OSHP said.
Authorities pursued the man into Summit County, and the chase ended when a Richland Township police officer deployed stop sticks. The semi-truck struck a cruiser and then a guard rail. However, the driver jumped out and ran off into the woods. OSHP said police set up a perimeter, and a plane was brought in to help look for the man.
At around 6:45 p.m., authorities said that the man, still in possession of the gun, was found unconscious at the bottom of a steep ravine. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries. It's unclear if the injuries are from the man falling down the ravine or some other incident.
While charges are currently pending against the man, OSHP didn't provide specifics on what they are.
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