MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Brand new video shows the moments a police pursuit started, and eventually ended, in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 75 in Montgomery County Thursday night.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the chase involved several law enforcement agencies who tracked down suspects believed to be connected to recent thefts in the area.
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News Center 7 obtained video from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Aviation Unit and cruiser camera video from the Perry Township Police Department.
The chase started around 8:30 p.m. near Diamond Mill Road and Wolf Creek Pike after a Perry Township police officer tried to stop a white GMC Sierra with no visible registration.
The driver wouldn’t stop and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and a nearby Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter join in on the chase.
>>RELATED: Deputies: Wood thrown at officers in high-speed chase; ends in wrong-way crash on I-75
An Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) spokesperson identified the driver as 46-year-old James Collins.
Several people were inside and one man was riding in the bed of the truck.
“Ok, chopper’s got you, he’s coming right at us, you can probably drop it,” an OSHP Aviation Unit trooper is heard saying on the video.
Authorities on the ground then use stop sticks to deflate and shred some of the tires on the pickup truck.
Video captured from the helicopter show the man driving on rims and sparks going everywhere.
Troopers then warn police that the person in the bed of the truck is trying to throw wood at their cruisers.
“Hey, there’s actually someone in the bed of the pickup truck,” the trooper said. “He’s trying to dump boards, use caution guys, he’s trying to dump boards on you.”
Collins eventually got onto U.S. 35 East, but crossed into the westbound lanes and began driving the wrong way.
“Gave up an opportunity to get off and he’s still running into opposing traffic here,” the trooper said.
Collins then takes the ramp to I-75 and starts driving southbound in the northbound lanes.
Video from the helicopter shows that oncoming drivers have no chance to avoid him.
“Multi-car crash, multi-car crash, the white male’s out on foot,” the trooper said. “We’re going to need three to five medics, probably.”
Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies managed to catch all four people that ran from the pickup truck.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the passengers as 37-year-old Candra Lakes, 40-year-old Zaquan Farley and 49-year-old Thomas Downey.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Major Jeremy Roy said the driver left his crews few options.
“This individual decides that he is going to take a 6,000 pound missile and go into oncoming traffic and at that point in time it escalates our response because now we are in a life and death situation,” Roy said.
The crash involved six cars and occurred near Dryden Road.
A total of eight people, including all four in the pickup truck, were hospitalized with minor injuries.
The crash remains under investigation by the OSHP Dayton Post and the criminal investigation is being handled by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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