Ottawa Hills officer shoots motorcyclist after short chase

One of two motorcyclists being pursued by Ottawa Hills police drove across this grass island at Central Avenue and Indian Road. As he was being arrested Saturday, his companion was shot.

An Ottawa Hills police officer shot and seriously wounded a Maumee man who led police on a short chase in the village early Saturday, authorities said.

Mike McCloskey, 24, who was shot, was in serious condition at Toledo Hospital Saturday night, a hospital spokesman said.

The name of the officer involved in the shooting was being withheld, pending an administrative review process, Ottawa Hills police said.

The officer was placed on administrative leave pending that review.

Police were chasing two motorcyclists about 2:15 a.m. on Indian Road when one of the pair drove through a grass island at Central Avenue and stopped across the street in the westbound lane of Central.

While he was being arrested, the other motorcyclist was stopped on Indian at Central, where he was then shot by an officer, authorities said.

Police did not say why they were chasing the motorcyclists and did not give any details of the shooting.

Mary Parker, a neighbor, said she was awakened early Saturday by sirens. She looked out a window and saw about seven police cars with their emergency light flashing, she said.

"It was unusual to see so many police cars in our neighborhood," she said.

"I was relatively calm. But I knew something was going on. I did not know what it was, because nobody told me."

Police remained at the scene until about 9 a.m., taking measurements on the road and examining the motorcycles, she said.

A woman who said she was a relative told The Blade in a telephone interview that Mr. McClos-

key was involved in the incident and was in the hospital. She declined to comment further.

The other motorcyclist was arrested, charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, driving with a suspended license, and fleeing from police.

He was booked into the Lucas County jail pending arraignment. His name was not released.

Ottawa Hills Chief Bob Overmeyer said the investigation was turned over to the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. He referred further inquiries to that office.

Its spokesman did not return phone calls yesterday.

The shooting was the first involving an Ottawa Hills police officer in at least 25 years, the chief said.

He said the department is made up of 20 employees, including 11 full-time police officers.