Multiple law enforcement agencies involved in pursuit through Elyria, North Ridgeville

A man was arrested after leading three law enforcement agencies on a pursuit through North Ridgeville and Elyria about 6 p.m. Friday evening. Spike strips had to be used to stop a Dodge Ram pickup driven by a man identified as Charles Fowler, according to a patrol narrative from the Elyria Police Department. After North Ridgeville police terminated their pursuit when the Dodge entered Elyria, the narrative stated that an Elyria officer spotted the vehicle driving slowly on East Broad Street. The officer then radioed dispatch to request additional units. While the officer followed the pickup without lights or sirens activated, he watched it turn left onto Garford Avenue and nearly cause a crash, according to the narrative. While following the Dodge south on Garford Avenue, and with additional police officers now following, the report states that officers observed the driver's behavior was "erratic and conducive to being impaired." The first Elyria officer to have spotted the Dodge then activated his lights and sirens, but the Dodge did not pull over. Police continued to pursue the vehicle at slow speeds on Cornell Avenue. The pursuit continued around police vehicles blocking the roadway south on East River Street, then south at slow speeds to Rosemere Street, then eastbound onto Rosemere Street, passing through the front yard on the northeast corner of the intersection before continuing back onto the road, according to the patrol narrative. Still traveling at slow speeds between 5 and 20 mph, the Dodge reached the intersection with Chestnut Ridge Road, where officers had blocked the roadway westbound to force the Dodge eastbound. The vehicle turned eastbound onto Chestnut Ridge Road, and later southbound onto state Route 57. A State Highway Patrol unit joined the pursuit and Elyria Police officers fell in line behind, according to the narrative. When the Dodge then turned eastbound onto state Route 10, all Elyria police units except three were told to terminate the pursuit. They followed for several miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 60 mph, according to the narrative. At the state Route 83 exit of state Route 10, the State Highway Patrol set spike strips, which the Dodge drove over. It came to a stop just west of the Lorain Road Bridge, the narrative stated. Officers from Elyria and North Ridgeville along with Highway Patrol troopers exited their vehicles. According to the narrative, Fowler ignored officers' orders, kicked open his driver's-side door and lit a cigarette and began reaching around inside the cab of the truck. An attempt by North Ridgeville police to apprehend him using a K-9 dog was unsuccessful, the narrative stated. Officers converged around Fowler and got him on the ground, arresting him without further incident. The narrative stated that an Elyria officer smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from him and he spoke to officers "in a slurred, lethargic manner; none of which officers could understand as coherent speech." Fowler was turned over to the custody of North Ridgeville police. Later, warrants were signed against him at the Elyria Police Department for failure to comply with order or signal of police officer, operation in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property, right-of-way rule when turning left and obstructing official business. A message was left for North Ridgeville police asking what charges Fowler may be facing through their department.