Toledoan leads police on chase, is arrested

11/22/2013

Authorities arrested a Toledo man wanted for a fatal car crash in April and who failed to show up in court this week on unrelated charges.

Alberto Selvera, 25, of 1157 Western Ave. led police on a short chase in South Toledo just after 3 p.m. Thursday before he was caught in a wooded area near a church on Nebraska Avenue. He was being held in the Lucas County jail late Thursday without bond, awaiting a court appearance. He was charged with felony fleeing and eluding, and receiving stolen property, and other charges could follow, said Sgt. Dave Carter of the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.

Selvera was sought by Toledo police on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of aggravated vehicular assault for an April 21 crash on Western at Marion Street that killed James Steele, 57, and injured two others. He failed to appear Tuesday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for sentencing on an unrelated theft conviction.

Authorities also suspect Selvera for several car break-ins in Sylvania Township, Holland, and Toledo, Sergeant Carter said.

According to Sergeant Carter, when he tried to stop Selvera for questioning near Byrne Avenue and Dorr Street in Toledo, he took off and cut through a nearby residential neighborhood. At one point, the blue 2006 Chevy Impala driven by Selvera cut across the lawns of several homes on Avondale Avenue.

He then drove onto Nebraska Avenue and attempted to cut through the parking lot of the Armory Church, which is also the home of a charter school for elementary students, said the sergeant. Selvera jumped out of the car and ran into a wooded area behind the church when it got stuck in a ditch.

Sergeant Carter, along with police from Toledo and Sylvania Township, chased him for about a minute before they caught him in the woods.