MANSFIELD — A 37-year-old Mansfield man died and three Mansfield police officers were placed on administrative leave Wednesday night after a high-speed chase that ended with a fatal crash in northern Richland County.
Randy L. Heater Jr., 37, who was fleeing police northbound on Plymouth-Springmill Road, failed to negotiate a curve, went off the right side of the road and struck a guardrail, according to the Mansfield Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The accident occurred at 8:36 p.m., according to the patrol, near London West Road, northeast of Shelby.
Heater’s 2005 Chevrolet Silverado overturned, ejecting Heater, who troopers said was not wearing a seatbelt. The patrol said Heater was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Mansfield Police Department, officers responded at 8:21 p.m. to a call for service in the 200 block of Sycamore Street, regarding three males involved in a fight and a woman possibly being held against her will.
While officers were responding, additional information was received that a male had been struck in the face with a tire iron and a suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle.
Officers found the suspect vehicle northbound on nearby Bowman Street, traveling at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused, police said.
During an ensuing pursuit, according to police, the suspect vehicle drove off the road and “rammed” a police cruiser as it then continued north on Bowman Street.
The suspect vehicle continued fleeing at high speed “throughout the rural areas of northern Richland County before crashing.
Per MPD policy, Sgt. Tonelli Webb, officer Cameron Shepherd and officer Carson Frase were placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation, police said.
Police said they were assisted during the incident by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department and the Ohio Highway State Patrol.
The state patrol is investigating the crash.
