Scuffle, arrest cap car chase across Toledo

2/17/2014
BLADE STAFF

An Oregon man is in the Lucas County jail after allegedly leading Toledo police on a lengthy pursuit around the central city in a vehicle, running from officers, and then kicking two of them.

Tiatwas Waites, 23, remained in the county jail late Monday in lieu of $60,000 bond on charges of fleeing and eluding police, obstructing official business, resisting arrest, drug abuse, two counts of assault on a police officer, and two traffic violations.

According to a Toledo police report, Officers Tony Sosko and Ian Lower tried to stop a vehicle at Auburn Avenue and South Cove Boulevard at 1:47 a.m. Saturday for an “equipment violation,” including a broken taillight.

Police reported that instead of stopping, the vehicle continued, blowing through stop lights and stop signs. Officers followed the vehicle south on Ayers Avenue, west on Thatcher Drive, south on Lexington Avenue, east on Goodale Avenue, south on Ayers, east on Albion Street, and then to a parking lot at Albion and Central Avenue where the driver tried to get out of the vehicle but then apparently changed his mind, got back in, and continued driving.

Police followed the vehicle east on Central, south on Detroit Avenue, east on Nesslewood Avenue, south on Robinwood Avenue, east on Bancroft Street, north on Collingwood Boulevard, east on Delaware, left on Franklin Avenue, and then north on Cherry Street. On Cherry, the driver was “playing chicken” with oncoming traffic, including a dump truck, police reported.

From Cherry, the vehicle turned east onto Rockingham Street into westbound Kenilworth Avenue.

In front of 17 Kenilworth, the driver got out of the car and ran from officers, jumping a fence there and cutting his hand, according to a police report.

Officer Lower caught the suspect and was able to get Mr. Waites to the ground where the suspect fought with officers. Officer Sosko was kicked twice in the chest; Officer Adam Fish was kicked in the mouth.

Officers reported using open-hand stuns, pressure points, joint manipulations, and head-control techniques to gain control of the suspect, who was treated for the hand injury and taken to the county jail where a corrections officer found a bag of marijuana in the suspect’s coat, according to a police report.

— Taylor Dungjen