A Middletown man who authorities believe used a vehicle to ram a Hillsboro business entrance and steal a lottery machine last weekend was apprehended after he crashed his vehicle Tuesday while being pursued by law enforcement.
Michael Gammoh, 29, who has a Middletown address but also has a criminal record in Hillsboro Municipal Court dating back to 1999, was captured when his vehicle crashed into a ditch on Fairview/Lapparell Road in Pike County.
Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera said that at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday his office received a call from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office advising that the Peebles Police Department was in pursuit of a black Mitsubishi Eclipse, with the driver believed to be wanted by the Hillsboro Police Department for a break-in at the East Main Sunoco in Hillsboro last Saturday.
At 3:39 p.m. Tuesday, Highland County sheriff’s deputies took the lead in the pursuit and a short time later the suspect vehicle crashed.
Gammoh was taken into custody without incident. He is being held at the Highland County Justice Center on a Highland County Adult Parole Authority warrant. He is also facing charges from the Hillsboro Police Department and pending charges from the Peebles Police Department.
On Wednesday, Gammoh was arraigned in Hillsboro Municipal Court on a count of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer from the Hillsboro Police Department. Gammoh’s bond was set at $25,000 and a preliminary hearing was was set for 9:30 a.m. May 18.
Barrera said Gammoh is believed to be the person who rammed the front door of the East Main Sunoco at 489 E. Main St. in Hillsboro last Saturday, knocking down the front entry door and surrounding structure.
Hillsboro police responded to a commercial alarm at the business at 6:02 a.m. Saturday.
After reviewing the businesses’ security footage, it was found that a vehicle backed into the front entry several times. After making entry into the business, a subject removed a lottery machine. As the subject was leaving the business the lottery machine fell off the vehicle and was left in the parking lot, the police department said.
The Pike County’s Sheriff’s Office, Peebles Police Department, Winchester Police Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted the Highland County Sheriff’s Office in the pursuit and apprehension of Gammoh, Barrera said.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
