A Peebles man is behind bars while deputies from the Adams County and Highland County sheriff’s offices recover from injuries following a high-speed pursuit early Wednesday morning that began at a Peebles mini mart.
Robert Roberts Jr. is currently in the Adams County Jail in West Union facing charges of felonious assault on a peace officer following a chase that began at the intersection of SR 41 and SR 32, just south of Peebles.
According to Sgt. Randy Walters of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, its communications center received a call of a man acting erratic in the parking lot.
“They reported he was spraying gas in the parking lot and acting very erratically,” Walters told The Times-Gazette. “Deputies responded along with the Ohio State Patrol, and they attempted to make contact with the pickup truck to perform a traffic stop, but before officers could get out of their vehicles, the gentleman took off northbound up State Route 41.”
He said officers engaged the pursuit, then in the area of the intersection of SR 73 and SR 41 in Locust Grove, Roberts stopped his vehicle, leading officers to believe the pursuit was over. But then Roberts suddenly put the truck in reverse and rammed one of the Adams County cruisers, causing serious damage which disabled the vehicle.
“He then continued north on State Route 41, with speeds approaching 85 miles per hour,” Walters said. “But a lot of times he would stop in the roadway, put his vehicle in reverse and try to ram one of our cruisers.”
When Roberts crossed the county line, Walters said that Highland County deputies, along with troopers from the Wilmington Post of the Ohio State highway Patrol, had deployed stop sticks in the roadway north of Sinking Spring.
The truck Roberts’ was driving hit the stop sticks and continued northbound on SR 41 before hitting a stopped southbound Highland County Sheriff’s Office cruiser head-on, which Walters said effectively ended the pursuit.
Adams County Patrol Officer Dep. Brandon Swayne was transported to Adams County Regional Medical Center for treatment of what Walters described as “minor injuries.”
“The subject was taken into custody and medical aid was called in for both the gentleman and the Highland County deputy,” Walters said.
Sheriff Donnie Barrera declined to identify the injured Highland County patrol officer, telling The Times-Gazette that he was taken to Highland District Hospital where he was treated and released, and is recovering from his injuries.
Walters said that prior to the pursuit, they had received reports of Roberts doing damage at the Peebles Police Department and several private properties.
In addition to the felonious assault charge, Walters said Roberts could be facing additional charges in the incident.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
