An Elyria man is facing a long list of felony charges after what police describe as an armed carjacking and a wrong-way chase that briefly shut down part of U.S. Route 20. Desmond Lewis, 28, was indicted Monday by a Lorain County grand jury on nine counts and is being held in the Lorain County Jail on a $575,000 bond as the case moves forward.
Grand jury levels nine-count case
The indictment charges Lewis with aggravated robbery, having weapons while under disability and grand theft of a motor vehicle, along with two counts of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, receiving stolen property, obstructing official business and an operation-in-wanton-disregard count, according to Cleveland19. Investigators say the case traces back to Feb. 4, when a woman’s car was allegedly taken at gunpoint in the Lorain Boulevard area.
How police say the chase unfolded
Elyria police told reporters that officers spotted the stolen vehicle the next morning near West Avenue and Oberlin Road and tried to pull it over. The traffic stop quickly turned into a pursuit, according to reporting by WJW. Authorities say the driver headed south on State Route 301, then took the U.S. 20 ramp and briefly drove the wrong way on the highway before the vehicle appeared to suffer engine trouble and came to a stop. After roughly 30 minutes of negotiation, officers say Lewis surrendered. No injuries were reported.
Court status and bond
A judge set Lewis’s bond at $575,000 after an early February court appearance, and he was ordered back to Elyria Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing, according to earlier coverage. The grand jury indictment returned Monday adds felony-level counts that will be handled in Lorain County, per Cleveland19.
What the charges mean
Under Ohio law, aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony, and the weapons charge, having weapons while under disability, is a separate offense in the Revised Code. Both carry potential prison time if a conviction follows. The statutory language is available in the Ohio Revised Code at §2911.01 (aggravated robbery) and §2923.13 (having weapons while under disability).
Lewis remains in the Lorain County Jail while the case proceeds, and investigators have asked anyone with information to contact Detective DeMarco at 440-326-1201 or [email protected], as reported by local media. The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet released a trial date.
