Driver strikes cars during police chase; several injured

12/31/2004

DEFIANCE - Several people were taken to Defiance Regional Medical Center Wednesday night after a driver leading police on a chase across the city hit the vehicles they were in.

The driver was arrested, authorities here said yesterday.

Police and state troopers said they would not release the names of those injured because the case is under investigation.

Michael R. Hasch, 19, of Cecil, Ohio, the driver who police said was fleeing police, was booked into Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio in Stryker on charges of felonious assault, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, and numerous traffic violations. He was arraigned in Defiance Municipal Court yesterday.

Police officers arrived at Northtowne Mall about 7:55 p.m. to investigate a loud-music complaint coming from the car matching the description of Mr. Hasch's vehicle.

They found the vehicle with Mr. Hasch behind the wheel and ordered him to stop.

Instead, police said, he drove off recklessly, leading officers on a chase through the northern part of the city.

At one point, his auto struck a police car.

The chase ended at North Clinton and Hilton streets, where the man lost control of the car, causing it to strike several vehicles, officers said.