A stolen car chase briefly rattled Green Township on Thursday, prompting precautionary lockdowns at Mercy Health West Hospital and nearby schools while officers from multiple agencies fanned out through a wooded area searching for suspects. Police say the reportedly stolen vehicle took off from the scene, was abandoned, and several occupants bolted into thick brush before officers ultimately took multiple people into custody and lifted the lockdowns.
Green Township police were called about a stolen vehicle in the 5400 block of North Bend Road on Thursday. Officers say the car fled, then was abandoned on Kleeman Road, according to WLWT. The outlet reports that several people jumped out and ran into a nearby wooded area, and that officers, including K-9 units and help from neighboring departments, carried out a search that ended with arrests.
Cheviot K-9 Shadow Aided the Search
The Cheviot Police Department's K-9 program lists K9 Shadow as a dual-purpose dog trained for narcotics detection and apprehension, and notes that the unit is often called in to help neighboring agencies. That capability is a key reason area departments request Cheviot's canine team for wide-area searches after vehicle abandonments and fleeing suspects, according to the program description on the Cheviot Police Department website.
Lockdowns at Hospital, Schools Were Short-Lived
WLWT reports that, with K-9 support, officers took several people into custody and that the precautionary lockdowns at Mercy Health West Hospital and nearby schools were lifted once the scene was secured. The site for Mercy Health notes that Mercy Health West Hospital serves Cincinnati's west-side communities and lists its campus on Mercy Health Boulevard.
What Officials Recommend
Green Township police are asking anyone with information or video related to the incident to contact the department. Non-emergency contact details and other resources are available on the township's police page at the Green Township Police Department. Officials typically urge residents to preserve any cellphone or dashcam footage that might help investigators and to submit tips directly to the department.
