OHIO — A 34-year-old Arizona man was arrested after allegedly throwing a bag containing about one pound of methamphetamine from his vehicle during a police chase in Portage County, authorities said.
According to the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began Feb. 5 when a deputy spotted a suspicious vehicle at a gas station along State Route 14 in Edinburg Township. Investigators said a records check revealed the vehicle’s registered owner had an outstanding arrest warrant.
When deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver slowed down, threw an object from the vehicle, and fled, prompting a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 90 miles per hour. The chase lasted about four minutes before ending in the 2500 block of Route 14 in Deerfield Township, officials said.
Authorities said the driver stopped after seeing a K-9 handler prepare to conduct a PIT maneuver.
Deputies later recovered the item thrown from the vehicle, which was a container holding a large plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine weighing approximately one pound.
The driver was identified as Carlos Ochoa. He was taken into custody and charged with drug trafficking, drug possession, failure to comply, and receiving proceeds subject to forfeiture.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains ongoing.
