A Franklin man will spend between eight and 9½ years in prison after admitting to multiple felonies tied to a high-speed police chase that ended when the stolen SUV he was driving crashed into a minivan at Sixth and Main in Franklin, according to city and state investigators. Two people in the van were injured, one of them seriously, investigators said.
Court records show Derrick Banks pleaded guilty to felonious assault on a police officer, vehicular assault, failure to comply and receiving stolen property. A Warren County judge imposed the prison term Thursday, as reported by WKRC.
How the chase unfolded
According to troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the chase started on Nov. 15 when they spotted a gray 2021 Dodge Durango on I-75 in West Chester and began following it for reckless, high-speed driving. The vehicle, later reported stolen from Hamilton County, was subjected to a PIT maneuver in Franklin Community Park, struck a Middletown police cruiser head-on and then ran a stop at West Sixth and South Main before rear-ending a Honda Odyssey, Journal-News reported.
Victims and arrest
The 76-year-old Franklin woman driving the minivan was taken to Atrium Medical Center and then flown to Miami Valley Hospital with serious injuries, while her 59-year-old passenger suffered minor wounds, according to WHIO. Authorities said Banks was evaluated at a hospital before being booked into the Warren County Jail.
Charges and legal context
Banks pleaded guilty to felonious assault and vehicular assault among other counts. Both offenses are felonies under Ohio law and carry prison exposure that varies with degree and specifications. For the statutory language and potential penalties, see R.C. 2903.11 on felonious assault and R.C. 2903.08 on vehicular assault.
The guilty plea and the judge’s sentence close the criminal proceedings for now, with the Warren County docket listing the disposition as entered Thursday. As reported by WKRC, there was no immediate comment from Banks' attorney at the time of the station's reporting.
