A midday drug investigation in Cincinnati’s West End and Over-the-Rhine turned chaotic Friday when, police say, the driver of a pickup rammed a Cincinnati Police cruiser and nearly hit an officer while trying to get away. The pursuit ended only after the truck crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky, where officers stopped the vehicle and took the driver into custody. Police reported that all officers involved were unharmed.
How the stop turned into a chase
Officers say they first tried to stop a black Chevy Colorado near Dalton and Gest streets, but the driver took off, then slipped away from police a second time, according to FOX19. Rather than immediately jump into a full-throttle pursuit, Cincinnati police used their drone unit and help from a bystander to relocate the truck before moving in again. That slower, more deliberate approach lines up with tactics aimed at keeping immediate risk to officers and bystanders in check.
Drone unit provided aerial help
The department has been expanding a Drone-as-a-First-Responder program that stations drones in neighborhoods such as Over-the-Rhine and the West End to give officers an overhead view on dispatched calls, as WCPO reported. The drones carry cameras and other sensors so officers can size up a scene before arriving on foot or in patrol cars. In this case, police said one of those unmanned aircraft helped guide officers back to the pickup after the first failed stop.
Chase crossed the river and ended in an arrest
FOX19 reports the pickup struck a police vehicle and almost hit an officer while fleeing, then continued across the Ohio River into Kentucky, where officers on the other side assisted and stopped the truck to make the arrest. Police have not released the driver’s name or listed any charges so far. Investigators said the case started as a drug probe, and they expect to release more information as the investigation moves forward…