A stolen car stop on Columbus' west side turned into a snowy foot chase, a dumpster arrest, and an alleged assault on officers Tuesday, according to police.
Columbus officers say they recovered the stolen vehicle and arrested two people after the driver took off at high speed, bailed out after spike strips were used, and ran into nearby yards. Patrol officers followed footprints in fresh snow to track down a 17-year-old, and later found an adult, identified as Emory Ferguson, hiding in a dumpster. Police say Ferguson fought with officers before being taken into custody.
Spikes Used to Stop Fleeing Vehicle
The incident began when officers initiated a traffic stop near Sullivant Avenue and Georgesville Road and later located a vehicle that had been reported stolen in the area of Wedgewood Drive, the department said. According to the Columbus Division of Police, the driver fled at a high rate of speed until officers deployed stop sticks, disabling the vehicle.
Police say the occupants bolted from the car and ran into nearby yards, leaving two sets of footprints in the fresh snow. Officers followed the tracks and detained a juvenile suspect at the scene. The juvenile, identified only as a 17-year-old, was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property involving an automobile, according to the department.
Dumpster Arrest and Alleged Assault on Officers
The second suspect, named by police as Emory Ferguson, was eventually found hiding in a dumpster and arrested at the scene. In their post, the Columbus Division of Police wrote that Ferguson "assaulted officers by punching and biting one officer and pulling the hair of another" during the encounter.
Police say Ferguson was also charged with receiving stolen property involving an automobile. The department did not include additional booking or court details in its public update.
Wider Crackdown on Sullivant Avenue
The stop is the latest in a series of incidents along the Sullivant Avenue corridor, where the city has launched Clean and Safe Corridors efforts and targeted enforcement aimed at recovering stolen vehicles and cutting down on violent crime. In a recent update, the City of Columbus detailed those operations, highlighting vehicle recoveries and multiple arrests tied to coordinated sweeps in the area.
Coverage of the broader initiative and its political rollout has also appeared from local outlet WOSU, which reported city leaders touting the Sullivant Avenue cleanup and enforcement push as a key public safety effort.
Legal Implications
Police say both the juvenile and Ferguson were arrested on allegations of receiving stolen property involving a motor vehicle. Under Ohio law, receiving stolen property that involves a car is generally treated as a fourth-degree felony, according to the Ohio Revised Code at section 2913.51.
Assault on a peace officer can bring separate felony exposure under state law as well, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code at section 2903.13. Prosecutors will decide on formal charges and next steps through the standard filing process.
The Columbus Division of Police shared photos and additional details of the arrests on its social media channels. Court filings and further police updates will clarify how the case proceeds and what penalties the suspects may ultimately face.
