City man pleads not guilty after high-speed chase
BROOKFIELD — A Warren man pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday after allegedly leading Sharon, Pa. and Brookfield officers on a high-speed chase Friday night.
Xavier Ford, 23, was arrested on charges of failure to comply, resisting arrest, reckless operation of vehicles and driving under suspension charges.
According to the police report, an officer near Brookfield Acres overheard Sharon police initiate a traffic stop, after which they said the vehicle was fleeing and heading toward Ohio on U.S. Route 62 — eventually entering the state.
The Brookfield officer attempted to intercept the pursuit closer to Hubbard after gathering that the suspect vehicle was driving erratically in Masury, based on street names he heard over the radio. He eventually saw the vehicle being pursued by several Sharon police cruisers and was struck by it as the vehicle attempted to maneuver around his cruiser, the report states.
The pursuit eventually exceeded 130 mph on state Route 82 westbound, and the officer requested the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s assistance, who set up stop spikes around Route 82 and East Market Street in Warren.
The vehicle eventually struck spikes that were set up on state Route 11 southbound and slowed down. Ford, later identified after stopping, quickly exited the vehicle and led several officers on a chase through the woods, the report states.
He was caught quickly and handcuffed by two Sharon officers.
Ford told other officers that he ran from them because he had a warrant in Pennsylvania, but it was non-extraditable from Ohio.
The officer took custody of Ford so he could be transported to Trumbull County Jail, and while being transported, he told the officer that he fled from Sharon’s officers several times and took the same route he did the last time he fled.
Ford said he could normally get through Brookfield before their officers get involved because there’s a delay in dispatching their officers, due to the county change.
The report states Sharon’s police department will file their charges for the offenses that took place in Pennsylvania — traffic control devices and illegal tint.
Ford’s bond was set at $1,500 for resisting arrest and $25,000 for failing to comply with a police officer. His bond for his vehicle-related charges is concurrent with his resisting arrest charge.
Ford is set to appear back in court Thursday, court records show.