BOTKINS – A man whom the Botkins Police Department and other law enforcement agencies pursued for more than two hours Thursday was charged with criminal trespass, resisting arrest, obstructing official business and escape.
Ilyaz A. Gafurov, 26, at large, was booked in the Shelby County Jail after clearance from the hospital following Thursday’s pursuit. He appeared via video arraignment Friday in Sidney Municipal Court, and his bond was set at $35,000.
According to the Botkins Police Department, the department received a call just after 1 p.m. Thursday about a man walking through a bean field on the south side of East South Street in Botkins. Officers responded to the area and located Gafurov sitting in the southeast corner of the Budget Host Inn.
The officers attempted to identify Gafurov, who refused to give any identification. While officers were detaining him for further investigation, Gafurov struggled with officers, breaking away and running west, police said.
Two attempts were made to deploy a Taser to apprehend Gafurov. Both attempts failed to stop him, and he ran through several yards before running into a wooded area south of the motel.
Officers pursued the suspect on foot and by use of a utility vehicle. Once he was contained in the wooded area, a perimeter was set up and other agencies responded to assist.
K-9 officers were called in to search the inside of the wooded area. Two hours into the incident, Gafurov emerged out of the east side of the wooded area where he was apprehended by the K-9 officer and several other officers on the perimeter, police said.
Gafurov was evaluated at the scene for heat related injuries and then taken to Wilson Health for further medical evaluation. After his release from the hospital, he was taken to jail.
Botkins Police Department was assisted by Anna Police, Jackson Center Police and K-9, Ohio Highway Patrol, Sidney Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and drone, Wapakoneta Police Department and Anna Rescue.