I don’t know a whole lot about golf, but I do know that players drive golf carts around and use thin sticks to hit balls over green pastures. What I didn’t expect to see at a range is a police chase involving a suspected attempted murderer tearing across the 18th hole while officers race behind with lights and sirens.
That’s exactly what happened in northeast Ohio. What began as a traffic stop quickly spiraled into gunfire, a carjacking, multiple crashes, and a lengthy manhunt that finally ended with a dramatic arrest.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the incident began Tuesday in Canton when troopers attempted to stop a suspect who was wanted in connection with an attempted murder case. Rather than pulling over, investigators say the driver fled, setting off a chain of events that stretched across multiple counties.
The situation escalated in Hudson when authorities say the suspect exchanged gunfire with an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper. Emergency dispatch audio captured the frantic moments as a caller reported, “Shots fired… Officer is OK, but shots were fired.”
The Chase Didn’t End After the Gunfire
The video above was taken by Ben Hyle, the founder of vintage clothing store Highland Throwbacks, who was playing on the 18th hole when he noticed the entire chase go down. The original video could not be located, so the above is courtesy of WKYC Channel 3.
You can see that he uses his golf caddy to follow along behind the police from a safe distance while the minivan gets further and further away. After the aforementioned shooting, police say the suspect then disappeared from the crash scene, launching an hours-long manhunt as investigators searched the surrounding area.
That wasn’t the end of it, either. It was said that the suspect carjacked another vehicle before continuing his escape, prompting even more emergency calls from frightened residents.
Even the Golfers Couldn’t Believe What They Were Watching
If there was one place golfers probably assumed they were safe from a police pursuit, it was the middle of a round. Instead, witnesses at Fox Den Golf Course watched the suspect’s vehicle race across the property as police followed close behind.
Honestly, explaining a bad score because a police chase interrupted your backswing has to be one of the more believable golf excuses I’ve ever heard. The pursuit eventually continued into Stow, where police say the suspect crashed into a Summit Metro Parks cruiser with enough force to flip the vehicle onto its side.
Even though the suspect tried to run away on foot, the police caught up to him and identified him as 39-year-old Julius Edwards. He was apparently on parole at the time of the incident after being released from prison five years ago. His criminal record apparently dates back two decades.
His information could be found on the Summit County Sheriff’s Office roster as inmate 215260. He does not have any bail or bond listed.
The Internet Immediately Turned the Chase Into Golf Jokes
As you can probably imagine, the internet wasted absolutely no time turning a police chase through a golf course into a comedy routine. One of the most popular jokes reads, “What happens when you violate the ‘Cart Path Only’ rule at Fox Den.” Another user piled on with, “STAY OFF THE GREEN… Golf cart joins the pursuit… YOU CAN’T PARK THERE.”
Not every reaction was a joke, though. One person admitted, “Oh wow that’s wild. I have never seen a police chase on a golf course,” while others thanked the person filming, saying they were glad they weren’t hurt.
Thankfully, despite the unbelievable scene, authorities have not reported any injuries to golfers or course staff. Which means everyone who showed up expecting a relaxing day on the links ultimately got a story they’ll probably be telling for years, whether they finished their round or not.