A Zanesfield man is facing a number of charges, including assault on a peace officer, escape and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, relating to a pursuit shortly after midnight Sunday involving several law enforcement agencies.
William H. Jervis, 68, of Zanesfield, was lodged in the Logan County Jail after he also was briefly checked at Mary Rutan Hospital following the incident..
About 12:05 a.m., officers of the Washington Township Police Department were advised to be on the lookout for a reckless driver traveling westbound on U.S. Route 33 from County Road 57.
Officers observed a pickup matching the description of the vehicle in the area of US Route 33 and Township Road 94. The vehicle was observed in the opposite lane of travel and then the driver swerved back into the correct lane, almost striking a guardrail on a bridge.
Officers activated their emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop. However, Jervis failed to stop, continuing on westbound U.S. 33 toward Russells Point. Officers of the Russells Point Police Department were stationary at Lincoln Boulevard and assisted in helping to get the vehicle stopped.
At U.S. 33 and State Route 708, the pickup slowed and officers got on their PA to communicate with the driver, instructing him to pull over. The vehicle continued westbound on U.S. 33 and went in the opposite lane of travel, swerving back into the correct lane near Clermont Avenue.
Jervis then traveled off the right side of the road, striking a sign and coming to a stop in the ditch near Sunnyside Avenue.
Once the vehicle came to a stop, officers ordered the driver out of the vehicle at gunpoint. While speaking with Jervis, officers observed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. He stated he drank three beers, and then became belligerent and was detained.
Indian Lake EMS responded to the scene to check Jervis, as he stated he had low blood sugar. EMS personnel offered to transport Jervis, which he refused.
As officers continued to talk with Jervis, they observed him to be unsteady on his feet. Officers tried several times to perform field sobriety tests and Jervis would not cooperate.
While being placed under arrest, the defendant reportedly kicked an officer from the Russells Point Police Department in the stomach.
He was placed in a patrol car, but he began to kick the windows in the cruiser. He was then taken out of the cruiser and placed in another cruiser that had bars on the windows.
Officers decided to take Jervis to Mary Rutan Hospital to be medically cleared. While at the hospital, he reportedly continued his belligerent behavior and would not cooperate with the hospital staff.
Once Jervis was medically cleared, officers placed him in handcuffs once again and placing him back in a patrol vehicle to be transported to jail. At that point, the defendant tried to free himself from handcuffs in an attempt to escape.
At the jail, Jervis refused all tests and was turned over to corrections staff. He continued his combative, abusive behavior and was placed in a restraint chair. The defendant also is being charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and disorderly conduct and was cited for marked lanes and failure to control.
Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Department of Natural Resource officers also assisted at the scene.
Driver lodged on warrant
Robert Holbrook, 38, of Lewistown, was charged possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and was placed under arrest for an active warrant during a traffic stop Friday evening.
Officers of the Washington Township Police Department on patrol about 5:50 p.m. in the area of U.S. Route 33 near State Route 708 observed a known suspended driver operating a vehicle and then pull into a gas station.
The traffic stop was initiated and while speaking with the driver, Holbrook, officers learned that the defendant had an active warrant for his arrest. Holbrook advised officers he had a bowl containing marijuana inside the vehicle, and officers conducted a probable cause search. Officers seized the marijuana bowl, along a black case that contained a digital scale, a small bag of marijuana, a measuring spoon with white crystal residue on it and several small plastic baggies consistent with drug use.
Holbrook was arrested and transported to the Logan County Jail. He also was cited for driving under suspension.