Negotiations underway after multi-county semi chase ends in Vandalia

VANDALIA, Ohio (WDTN) — Police are attempting to negotiate with a suspect who stole a semi in Madison County, leading police on a multi-county chase on Wednesday.

According to Chief Glenn Nichol with the London Police Department, officers in London attempted to stop a vehicle, however, the vehicle fled north on U.S. 42 near I-70 to a truck stop.

A man and a woman then reportedly fled from the vehicle on foot. An officer chasing them attempted to tase the male suspect and the man then pulled about a firearm, however, no shots were fired.

The suspect and a female accomplice reportedly then got into a parked semi-truck that was nearby and fled with the driver still inside. As they fled, they struck a London police cruiser but no officers were injured.

Nichol reported that the suspects fled north on U.S. 42, then east on some county roads, then west on U.S. 40 toward Springfield, eventually traveling onto I-70 westbound and coming to a stop at Airport Access Road.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol Special Response Team and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office are actively negotiating with the suspect.

Nichol said that at this time there are at least three people in the semi: the male suspect, a female accomplice and the semi-truck driver.

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s OHGO, both the eastbound and westbound ramps of I-70 to Dayton International Airport Access Road remain closed at this time.

Stay with 2 NEWS as this story develops.