Suspect in Custody Following Early Morning Pursuit

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- Authorities say a suspect is in custody after an early morning pursuit involving a stolen vehicle.

A Muskingum County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation.

The vehicle initially stopped but then the suspect drove away from the deputy. 

The pursuit lasted about thirty minutes through southern Muskingum County, into Perry County and back to Muskingum County. 

The suspect was traveling in the 5000 block of Workman Road  when he crashed into a cornfield and took off running. 

Sheriff Matt Lutz said Muskingum and Perry County deputies along with an officer from the highway state patrol began searching for the suspect and found him hiding in some dense woods.  

“They had assistance from a K-9 as well as a drone. And at about 7:48 a.m. they were able to take the suspect into custody. The suspect did not have any injuries that I am aware of. He was transported to the Muskingum County Jail. His name is not being released until we get formal charges filed against him.”

A Muskingum County Deputy lost control of his cruiser during the pursuit and struck a tree. The deputy went to the hospital for evaluation with minor injuries. 

He says it appears this individual stole the van. 

“As the investigation continued we got a call from the Zanesville Police Department and somebody had filed a report of a stolen van which ended up being this van. So it was stolen out of the downtown area around Secrest Auditorium sometime overnight.”

The case remains under investigation.