A pre-dawn chase involving a stolen vehicle turned the westbound Norwood Lateral into a parking lot early Wednesday, as officers shut the highway and moved into nearby woods looking for suspects who took off on foot. The pursuit started in northern Hamilton County, rolled into Cincinnati, and onto the lateral, and briefly led to a full closure of westbound lanes before traffic was allowed to creep through again.
According to FOX19 NOW, Cincinnati police said the pursuit kicked off around 2:45 a.m. at Fields Ertel Road and Montgomery Road in Symmes Township. The stolen vehicle headed south on I‑71 into the city, then turned west onto the Norwood Lateral. FOX19 NOW reports that four people bailed out of the car just east of the Paddock Road exit, and that the left lane of the westbound lateral was later reopened so traffic could get by.
Why the lateral shutdown mattered
The Norwood Lateral (State Route 562) is a narrow, heavily traveled connector on Cincinnati’s east side, so a sudden shutdown there does not just inconvenience a few early commuters - it tends to blow up the whole morning drive. Drivers are quickly forced onto Montgomery Road and I‑75, routes that are already feeling the squeeze. As reported by WCPO, ongoing ODOT work and delayed reopening of some westbound lanes have left fewer options than usual, which only amplified Wednesday’s disruption.
Search effort and scene
Police told FOX19 NOW that the suspects ran into the woods near Highland Avenue shortly before 3 a.m. Several drones and a K‑9 team were brought in to try to track them down. Officers were positioned on the west side of the Shepherd Chemical Company on Highland Avenue while crews swept the brush. As of the latest reports, it was not clear whether anyone had been taken into custody.
Possible charges if suspects are caught
Because the vehicle was reported stolen, suspects, if apprehended, could be looking at theft and receiving‑stolen‑property charges, and prosecutors often add failure‑to‑comply or eluding counts when drivers run from officers. Those offenses are outlined in the Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 2913, and in R.C. 2921.331 for failure to comply with an officer's signal.
Norwood and Cincinnati police had not released names or detailed descriptions of the suspects at the time of publication, and investigators asked residents to stay out of the immediate area while the search continued. This story will be updated as officials release more information.
