The Lead Off
- A high-speed police pursuit in northwest Ohio reached speeds near 120 mph before ending in an arrest Tuesday night.
- Authorities say the chase began after a disturbance involving weapons at a Defiance retail parking lot.
- Multiple law enforcement agencies joined the pursuit, which spanned several counties before officers used a maneuver to stop the vehicle.
DEFIANCE, OHIO (WOWO) A man was arrested Tuesday night following a multi-county police chase that reached speeds of nearly 120 miles per hour after a reported disturbance involving weapons at a Defiance retail parking lot, according to authorities.
Officials tell WTOL-11 that the pursuit began after officers responded to reports of a fight involving firearms and a baseball bat at the Hobby Lobby in the 1500 block of North Clinton Street.
Police respond to reported disturbance
Defiance police say multiple 911 calls came in reporting a physical altercation in the parking lot. When officers arrived, they were told a suspect had left the scene in a white Chevrolet Tahoe.
Shortly after, an officer located a vehicle matching the description near a Speedway on North Clinton Street and attempted a traffic stop.
Chase reaches high speeds across multiple counties
According to police, the driver—later identified as Dominick Gomez—did not stop and instead accelerated away despite having an OVI-related license suspension.
Authorities say the vehicle quickly reached speeds of about 80 mph and continued to accelerate as the pursuit escalated.
Police reported the driver:
- Drove into oncoming traffic lanes
- Failed to stop for multiple traffic signals, including a red light near Kohl’s on North Clinton Street
- Passed vehicles in opposing lanes
- Reached speeds exceeding 100 mph, at times approaching 120 mph
The chase continued beyond Defiance County into portions of State Route 66, State Route 6, and several county roads in Henry and Fulton counties.
Additional agencies joined the pursuit, including the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Pursuit ends with coordinated stop
As the vehicle approached an intersection near the Fulton-Henry county line, law enforcement agencies coordinated efforts to contain the suspect’s route.
Officials say officers used a controlled maneuver to disable the vehicle and bring the pursuit to an end.
Gomez was taken into custody without further incident.
Charges and investigation
Authorities have not yet announced formal charges, stating the investigation remains ongoing.
Police have not released information regarding potential injuries or damage related to the initial disturbance or the pursuit.
The Takeaway
- A high-speed police pursuit in northwest Ohio began after reports of a violent disturbance in a Defiance retail parking lot involving alleged weapons.
- The chase extended across multiple counties and reached speeds near 120 mph before law enforcement used a coordinated intervention to stop the vehicle safely.
- Officials say the investigation is ongoing, and charges against the suspect have not yet been announced.
