2 officers hurt as driver hits police cruiser in South Toledo

10/29/2004

Two police officers were hurt when their cruiser was hit by a van driven by a man police were pursuing yesterday in South Toledo, authorities said.

Officers Jason Wallace and Lisa Fauver and the suspect, Leo Hoskins, were treated at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.

Mr. Hoskins, 50, of 619 Woodland Ave., was booked into the Lucas County jail on charges of drug abuse, failure to comply with a police order, aggravated vehicular assault, and unrelated warrants.

He was being held without bond pending arraignment today in Toledo Municipal Court.

Two other officers saw a man acting suspiciously at two East Toledo gas stations and tried to stop him at Broadway and Clayton Street about 2 a.m. for not having a front license plate and not having a license plate light.

The driver sped away on Broadway, police said.

He continued down several streets and alleys before two other officers joined the pursuit.

The driver turned onto Canal Avenue and drove through the intersection of Western Avenue without stopping for a stop sign.

His van then hit the vehicle occupied by Officers Wallace and Fauver, who were eastbound on Western and were not involved in the pursuit, police said.

The fleeing motorist got out of his van and tried to jump a chain-link fence before he was taken into custody in the side yard of 309 Havre St.

Police said the pursuit lasted two minutes.