There are plenty of ways a police pursuit can come to an end. A successful PIT maneuver, spike strips, or even the suspect simply giving up are all fairly common.
Having your patrol vehicle swallowed by a giant hole in the middle of the road? That’s a new one.
That’s exactly what happened Friday morning in Toledo, Ohio, when officers attempted to stop a stolen SUV driven by a suspect with active felony warrants. While the driver managed to navigate around a section of roadway that had been removed, the pursuing officer wasn’t as fortunate, sending the cruiser nose-first into the opening and temporarily ending the chase.
Fortunately, the officer suffered only minor injuries, and the suspects still ended up in custody shortly afterward.
Stolen SUV Led Police Straight Into an Unexpected Road Hazard
According to 13ABC and WTOL11, the Toledo Police Department officers spotted a stolen black GMC Terrain near the intersection of Laskey and Tremainsville Road at approximately 9 a.m. on Friday. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over and raced off.
As the chase continued onto Asbury Drive, the suspect successfully maneuvered around a section of roadway that had been dug out by the city’s Water Department. Although the pursuing officer slowed down, the front of the cruiser struck the far edge of the hole and became disabled.
The officer hit his head during the impact and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Despite the damaged patrol vehicle, the chase didn’t last much longer as officers quickly located the stolen GMC abandoned near the intersection of Phillips and Fairview.
Suspect Was Found Hiding in a Bush After Abandoning the SUV
Police found 59-year-old George Campbell III hiding inside a nearby bush before taking him into custody. According to investigators, Campbell was already wanted on felony warrants for strangulation and failure to comply. He later complained of breathing issues and was transported to a hospital before charges in the Toledo case could be finalized.
The passenger, 42-year-old Lindsay Campbell, was also located nearby and taken to a hospital with minor cuts and scrapes. Police said she was wanted on a felony warrant related to motor vehicle theft.
Adding another twist to the story, investigators said both suspects had reportedly been involved in another police pursuit less than two weeks earlier that ended in a rollover crash and hospitalization.
Driver Now Faces Five Felony Charges and up to 20 Years in Prison
According to neighbors, the hole has been there for some time. I can imagine it was frustrating to find that the hole in the road was repaired only after the officer got into the accident.
While George Campbell III’s information was available online via the Lucas, Ohio, inmate search, Lindsay Campbell’s was not. He was charged with five felonies: strangulation and suffocation, two counts of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, receiving stolen property, and theft of a motor vehicle.
As a result, he could face up to 20 years in prison and fines as high as $20,000.