Trestin D. Downing-Hoffer, 22, of 824 Euclid St., was charged Saturday with felony failure to comply with a peace officer and misdemeanor counts of endangering children after a 3:30 p.m. high-speed chase into Shelby County.
Faith I. Smith, 21, of the same address, was charged with obstructing official business.
An officer of the Bellefontaine Police Department on patrol running a radar on Detroit Street near Lake Avenue recorded a southbound car operated by Downing-Hoffer traveling at 39 mph in a 25-mph zone.
The motorist turned in front of the parked cruiser and circled back heading northbound. The officer pulled out to initiate a stop and observed the car accelerate when the cruiser’s lights were activated.
Downing-Hoffer doubled back on Detroit and turned left onto Lake. At County Road 18, he turned south. He continued south on Township Road 187 to eastbound Township Road 30 before heading south on U.S. Route 68. He later turned onto State Route 508 into DeGraff and then north onto County Road 24.
Multiple deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office joined in the chase and attempted to stop the car with stop sticks at C.R. 24 and State Route 47 but the effort to puncture the tires and disable the car were unsuccessful.
The chase, which reached speeds as high as 90 mph, was terminated when Downing-Hoffer continued westbound into Shelby County.
He also drove through multiple stop signs and red lights and passed numerous vehicles during the chase in Logan County.
Officers and deputies obtained license plate information and located the vehicle owner, Jonathan A. Coulter, 824 Euclid St. He contacted Downing-Hoffer via a cell phone call and learned the motorist was returning with the car.
Officers set up around the residence and converged on the car around 4:40 p.m. stopping it at Ohio Street and Myrtle Avenue. Downing-Hoffer slowed to a stop and began to exit the car but was stopped at gunpoint by an officer. The department’s canine also was deployed.
Smith along with Destiny Dick and her 11-day-old son were passengers in the car.
Smith lied to officers and said she was not in the car during the chase.
Destiny was released with her son.
Both Downing-Hoffer and Smith were lodged in the Logan County Jail.