ONTARIO — A Richland County Sheriff’s Lt. and an Ontario Police Sgt. each wounded the suspect involved in Sunday’s high-speed chase that included a hostage situation and a stolen Ohio State Highway Patrol car, according to Ontario Police Chief Tommy D. Hill.
Hill issued a press release on Monday night detailing the series of events that concluded in Ashland County with the arrest of Mount Gilead’s Jeremy Reynolds.
The driver of a carjacked minivan and Reynolds were both taken to an area hospital for minor injuries. No officers were injured during this incident, authorities stated. Reynolds has since been incarcerated at the Richland County Jail.
The investigation regarding the officer-involved shooting is being handled by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Hill’s statement in its entirety is included below:
“On Sunday March 6, 2022 at approximately 1:11 p.m., Ontario Police became aware of a pursuit involving a stolen red Suburban on U.S. 30 traveling westbound from State Route 42.
“At 1:26 p.m., the vehicle became disabled during the pursuit and stopped in the area 2416 Millsboro Road where the suspect and passenger remained in the vehicle. At that time, officers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Richland County Sheriff’s Office and Ontario Police setup a perimeter of the area and alerted nearby residents to stay inside.
“Troopers used the PA system to communicate with the suspect until Ontario Crisis Negotiators arrived moments later to continue communication efforts for a safe resolution. It is believed that at least two gun shots were fired from inside the vehicle, however no one was hit.
“As the vehicle caught fire, the suspect exited wearing a ski mask holding what appeared to be a black handgun to the head of a female hostage while restraining her as a human shield. They walked slowly west on Millsboro Road towards an empty Ohio State Highway Patrol car.
“At that time, Lt. Jimmy Nicholson a 27 1/2-year veteran of the Richland County Sheriff’s office fired and struck the male to protect the hostage. A second shot was fired by Sgt. John Mager, a 24 1/2-year veteran of the Ontario Division of Police Department, which also struck the male as he fled in the now stolen State Patrol car with the hostage in the back seat.
“The pursuit continued onto U.S. 30, at which time the suspect carjacked a minivan by force just east of State Route 603. There were two female victims in the minivan.
“The incident concluded following a lengthy pursuit through Richland and Ashland County when the vehicle went off the roadway in the area of 2093 County Road 2104 in Ashland County.
“The driver and hostage were separately transported to Ohio Health Mansfield for non-life threatening injuries. The suspect, 31-year old Jeremy Reynolds of Mount Gilead, was then transported to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office where he is currently incarcerated.”
