A high-speed pursuit that began with a routine traffic stop ended with two suspects in custody this past Saturday, as reported by local Cincinnati outlets. Sharonville Police had attempted to pull over a vehicle for a traffic stop around 5:30 p.m. when the driver and her passenger decided to flee, setting off a chase that rattled down the southbound lanes of Interstate 275.
The incident escalated when the suspects' SUV hit a police cruiser, an action that resulted in charges of felony assault for driver Alicia Joyce Bryant, 54, according to Local 12. The chase proceeded with dangerous speeds reported to have reached 80 miles per hour, culminating in several sets of stop sticks deployed across the region before the suspects’ vehicle could be immobilized.
Bryant, once stopped, briefly attempted to escape on foot before being apprehended. Currently, she is facing multiple charges, including attempted assault on a police officer, failure to comply with a police officer, driving under suspension, and drug-related offenses, as detailed by WCPO. Kevin Gabbard, 45, the passenger, has been charged with drug possession. The traffic incident began over what ended up being a fictitious license plate violation.
Officials closed the eastbound lanes of I-275 temporarily as the scene was secured, WLWT reported. Thankfully, despite the perilous chase and potential for harm, the incident resulted in no physical injuries to the involved officers or the public at large. The swift response by law enforcement managed to bring a potentially volatile situation to a relatively safe conclusion.
