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WEATHERSFIELD -- A routine traffic stop Saturday evening turned into a pursuit through five jurisdictions and resulted in a police cruiser being rammed by the driver, according to a Trumbull County 911 call report.
The report states a Weathersfield police officer pulled over a 1997 black Dodge Ram pickup in front of Dollar General on state Route 46 around 5:20 p.m. for a speeding violation. While the officer was checking the driver's information, the pickup driver took off, heading toward Niles Carver and Salt Springs roads at speeds between 50 and 55 mph, the report states.
The officer notified both Niles and Youngstown police as the driver approached the Sheetz gas station on Salt Springs Road near Interstate 80, with speeds estimated at 55 mph. The driver then headed left on Liberty Street toward Girard, going over the Officer Justin Leo Memorial Bridge that leads from McDonald to Girard, the report states.
Around 5:30 p.m., the pursuing officer tells the dispatcher the driver slammed into another Weathersfield cruiser, but was still in pursuit as the chase headed into Youngstown on Slag Crusher Road, the report states. The officer was not injured.
The officers lost sight of the pickup a few minutes later, but the pickup struck the Justin Leo bridge and left behind its front bumper, which was taken as evidence.
A Youngstown police officer began pursuing the pickup around 5:38 p.m. on Salt Springs Road, but a few minutes later he terminated the pursuit because the pickup driver was heading south in the northbound lanes of Salt Springs Road near Interstate 680, the report states.
The Youngstown officer tells the 911 dispatcher he last saw the vehicle heading toward the west side near Belle Vista and Connecticut avenues, noting the pickup had heavy front-end damage and heavy damage to the bed, as well as a lift kit and large swamp tires.
Just before 6 p.m., the Weathersfield officer who initiated the chase said the Youngstown officer was never told the pickup driver slammed into the Weathersfield cruiser, noting YPD would never have terminated the pursuit if they knew a cruiser had been struck.
The officer identifies the driver as Ross DeWeese, 28, of 1468 Furnace St., Mineral Ridge. A "be on the lookout" order was issued for DeWeese and the pickup around 6:18 p.m.
An officer went to the Furnace Street address around 6:30 p.m., but no one answered, the report states.
The pickup was found just after 9 p.m. at Rayen and Worthington avenues on Youngstown's north side, according to police radio traffic. No one was inside, but the Youngstown officer noted it had damage consistent with the damage on the pickup being pursued.
Court records show DeWeese has a prior conviction on a charge of possession of drug abuse instruments to which he pleaded no contest in July 2017 in Warren Municipal Court. He was placed on probation until July 2020, the record states.
mkosinski@tribtoday.com