Man accused of breaking into church formally charged after pursuit ends in Preble County

PREBLE COUNTY — A man accused of breaking into a Butler County church has been formally charged after leading Preble County deputies on a pursuit last week.

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Preble County Sheriff’s deputies were notified that a Madison Township church had been broken into on February 27 and a witness was following the people responsible, according to Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson.

The witness followed the suspect’s vehicle into Preble County and law enforcement found it in Camden.

Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled north on U.S. 127 towards Eaton. They used a tire deflation device that deflated three of the four tires.

The vehicle stopped in the 1500 block of North Barron Street and the driver fled on foot, refused to stop for deputies, but was apprehended by a sheriff’s deputy K9, Sheriff Simpson said.

Medics transported the suspect to Kettering Preble ER for minor injuries.

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Douglas K. Vanderpool, 29, of Trotwood has been identified as the suspect.

He was formally charged in Eaton Municipal Court on two felony counts of Failure to Comply with an Order or Signal or Police Officer and a felony count of Vandalism. Vanderpool is also facing formal misdemeanor charges of Receiving Stolen Property and Resisting Arrest, Sheriff Simpson stated.

A second passenger was arrested and returned to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

Vanderpool remains in the Preble County Jail. He is expected to face additional charges in Butler County and had an outstanding warrant in Montgomery County at the time of his arrest.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Camden and Eaton Police departments assisted in the incident.

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