SIDNEY — A Middletown man was arrested following a high speed pursuit, which began in Middletown and ended in Sidney Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.
According to the Piqua Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, Kenneth Heaton, 46, of Middletown, has been charged with fleeing and eduling and felonious assault with a vehicle. Additional charges are being considered.
Heaton is currently incarcerated in the Shelby County Jail. He was scheduled to appear in Sidney Municipal Court Thursday morning.
Troopers, who were dispatched to watch for a reckless vehicle that had previously been involved in a pursuit with Franklin and Middletown Police Departments, attempted to stop Heaton’s vehicle south on Piqua on Interstate 75 in Miami County when he fled northbound.
During the pursuit, several attempts were made to disable Heaton’s vehicle through the use of tire deflation devices. Due to heavy traffic, the deployment of these devices on I-75 was unsuccessful.
As the pursuit approached the village of Anna, the suspect made intentional contact with a highway patrol cruiser, crossed the center grass median, drove northbound in the southbound lanes, and exited onto state Route 119. Heaton continued fleeing for several miles in Shelby County before heading back in to the city of Sidney from state Route 47.
Officers from the Sidney Police Department successfully deployed tire deflation devices deflating the suspect vehicles tires. Intentional contact was made between the suspect vehicle and a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy cruiser before a coordinated effort by officers, deputies and troopers successfully apprehended Heaton without further incident.
Shelby County Sheriff John Lenhart told the SDN the chase ended near Julia Lamb Stadium, aong East North Street in Sidney, when Deputy David Spicer used a defensive driving technique.
“Deputy Spicer employed a ‘pit movement’ to stop the driver after about an hour and a half pursuit. The pit movement is where he used his cruiser to tap the back fender and stopped the vehicle. Deputy Spicer used an excellent pit movement and brought it to an end.”
Heaton and a female passenger were transported to Wilson Health as a precaution. The passenger was released.
