CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in Ohio said they have arrested the driver of a tractor-trailer who
held a female hostage and led police on a wild chase Saturday along Interstate 275.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol began pursuing the rig in the eastbound lanes of I-275 in Cincinnati on
Saturday afternoon. Hours later, after the hostage was freed, police were able to disable the truck by
firing into the engine block, and the driver, who was armed with a knife, was subdued with a stun
device.
Cincinnati police said the chase stemmed from an apparent domestic violence situation, and the hostage —
believed to be his wife — was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police said she might have a broken
leg.
The driver was treated for minor injuries following his arrest, police said.
Authorities did not release the driver’s name.
Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate told reporters that during the chase the driver crossed over
repeatedly into opposing lanes of the interstate "putting numerous people at risk of serious
physical harm." He said the driver appeared to aim at police laying down stop sticks, one of which
disabled a tire, and repeatedly backed up the tractor-trailer at the pursuing vehicles.
Neudigate said highway patrol officers, Hamilton county sheriffs and other agencies helped to shut the
interstate down in both directions "because he would have killed somebody … the way he was
recklessly driving a 5,000-, 10,000-pound vehicle — somebody would have been dead today."
A SWAT team used a 50-caliber rifle to shoot rounds into the engine block of the truck, which eventually
disabled the vehicle.
Neudigate said the driver will likely face multiple counts of felonious assault in Hamilton County, and
it was his understanding that there was also an aggravated assault warrant out of Georgia but he hadn’t
confirmed that.
"I haven’t seen anything like this in 30-plus years of policing, having to stop a semi-tractor on
the highway that’s going to kill somebody — that’s a new one for us," Neudigate said, terming it
"a very good outcome."