MANSFIELD, Ohio — A 31-year-old man was shot twice and troopers say he stole an Ohio State Highway Patrol cruiser and led law enforcement on a pursuit in Mansfield Sunday on afternoon.
Troopers said that 31-year-old Jeremy A. Reynolds was spotted in a stolen vehicle that pulled out of a rest area on US 30 westbound near Interstate 71 around 1:09 p.m. in Richland County. When police attempted to stop him on Reed Road, he fled in the vehicle.
The pursuit continued eastbound on U.S. 30 until the vehicle exited at State Route 309 and drove through numerous
roads, where he struck multiple vehicles, which caused the stolen vehicle he was driving to become disabled in the yard of a home on Millsboro Road.
"Along the way he struck a couple of vehicles involved in crashes and kept going. Basically from the crashes his vehicle became disabled," said Sgt. Ryan Purpura.
Reynolds allegedly refused to comply with verbal commands and exit the vehicle, and a standoff with police and law enforcement followed, troopers said.
About 10 minutes into the standoff, troopers said a female passenger in the vehicle screamed and what sounded like a gunshot was heard.
The standoff continued for around 30 more minutes, with the stolen disabled vehicle smoking and eventually catching fire. At that time, troopers said Reynolds exited the vehicle with the passenger and approached an OSHP cruiser.
At that point, law enforcement fired shots at the man because according to broadcastify he was holding the woman hostage with a gun. Police said Reynolds then stole the patrol car, which had its emergency lights activated, and he fled the scene with the woman.
The man fled east on Millsboro Road and reentered U.S. 30 eastbound before pulling behind a minivan and removing the female driver. The man then got in the minivan, left his female passenger and the female driver of the van and drove off.
After getting into the second stolen vehicle, a pursuit with Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers continued.
During the pursuit, troopers were able to stop the vehicle. The pursuit ended on State Route 511, south of County Road 30A.
When the vehicle stopped, the man was taken into custody and found to have two gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital before he was taken into custody at the Richland County jail facing several charges.
Troopers said the man sustained non-life threatening injuries and that the female passenger was also taken to the hospital with injuries.
The female driver of the minivan sustained minor injuries, troopers said.
According to troopers, no law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
"Obviously, it could have been a lot worse," said Purpura.
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