2 are arrested after police pursuit in Erie County

7/16/2001

SANDUSKY - A teenager led police on a chase throughout Erie County early yesterday, starting in Perkins Township south of here and ending in Lorain.

Ohio Highway Patrol troopers from the Sandusky post were called at 5:09 a.m. to assist Perkins Township and Sandusky police, who were following a suspected stolen vehicle. Once stopped, driver Anthony Loretta, 18, of Sandusky, was arrested by state troopers for driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding, felonious assault, and reckless operations of a vehicle.

Mr. Loretta led police east on U.S. 6 at speeds that reached 70 mph. He drove over spike sticks laid out by officers at Camp Road in Huron Township and continued with one front tire flattened. Another set of spike sticks, laid out in Vermilion, flattened the other front tire.

Police were able to stop the vehicle by creating a roadblock of cruisers in Lorain. Before he was stopped, Mr. Loretta allegedly hit a highway patrol cruiser twice, police said, causing minor damage to the side and rear.

The Perkins Township police charged Mr. Loretta as well as his passenger, but police would not release any additional details of the pursuit. Highway patrol officers said the suspects face charges by other agencies involved in the pursuit too.