A Middletown man is facing felony counts after police say he tore through multiple jurisdictions in a reportedly stolen car, hit more than 100 miles per hour, then flipped the vehicle outside a popular Centerville bar. The single-occupant car overturned in front of Archer’s Tavern, and the driver was treated at the scene before being taken to a nearby hospital. Officers say the chase turned into a serious public-safety threat once the driver crossed into oncoming lanes at very high speed.
Franklin officers were called in early Saturday after Middletown police spotted the recently stolen vehicle near Wells Bridge Drive and then saw it parked at a Speedway on East Second Street, according to WKRC Local 12. Police say the driver bolted as officers moved in, kicking off a pursuit that ran east on East Second Street, continued onto State Route 73, and then north on State Route 48. Audio from dash and body cameras included in the station’s report captures officers saying speeds topped 100 miles per hour before units called off the chase near Social Row Road.
A short time later, Centerville police reported that the same vehicle had crashed and overturned in front of Archer’s Tavern. The driver, who officers say was the only person in the car, managed to get out of the wreck and was treated by emergency crews before being taken to a local hospital. Authorities did not report any injuries to bystanders or to customers and staff inside the bar…