RICHMOND, Wayne County — The Richmond man accused of leading officers on a high-speed chase in Shelby County while driving a stolen police cruiser is now facing new charges in Wayne County, where the cruiser was stolen from.
Mitchell Gard, 32, of Richmond, is charged with felony auto theft in Wayne County Superior Court. News Center 7 requested documents related to the new charges, however court officials said his case filings are still considered confidential.
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Gard was previously indicted in late October on charges of failure to comply and receiving stolen property in relation to the pursuit, which ended just outside Sidney last month.
State troopers started a pursuit on the ramp from I-75 to state Route 47 in Sidney around 2:05 p.m. last Monday after the cruiser didn’t stop when troopers tried to pull it over. The pursuit continued east on state Route 29 near Jackson Road east of Sidney.
“The stolen cruiser was driving recklessly at a high rate of speed causing a minor accident at Wilkinson Street and state Route 47,” Sidney police said.
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Sidney officers were unable to keep eyes on the fleeing cruiser, however a Sidney officer continued east on state Route 29 and found the cruiser had crashed near the railroad tracks by the Pasco grocery store, investigators said.
Gard was arrested after a short search in the area.
Richmond police said the cruiser had been stolen in the area of the Richmond Mall about an hour before it was spotted by OSHP on I-75.
Details on how the cruiser managed to get stolen were not immediately released by the department.