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Suspect slain after pursuit in Washington County

Ohio BCI investigating incident, deputy placed on leave per policy

An Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation crime scene vehicle arrived at the scene of an officer-involved shooting on Ohio 339 Thursday morning. The state agency is investigating the incident, in which a suspect died, because it involved a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

BELPRE — An approximately four-mile stretch of Ohio 339 was closed for about half the day Thursday as state investigators processed the scene of a vehicle pursuit that ended with a suspect dead following an officer-involved shooting.

“As a result of the officer’s contact with the suspect, there were shots fired,” said Washington County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mark Warden.

The names of the suspect who was killed and the deputy had not been released Thursday afternoon.

The incident began around 4:15 a.m., when a sheriff’s deputy attempted to pull over a maroon Honda in Barlow, at least in part due to speed, Warden said.

The suspect vehicle fled south on Ohio 339 and eventually struck a northbound Toyota Tacoma just north of Millbranch Road, Warden said. The suspect lost control of the Honda, which went off the side of the road south of Millbranch, he said.

Road flares burned Thursday morning on Ohio 339 near the second tier of a roadblock near the Belpre Township Cemetery. The road was closed for about 11 hours while investigators processed the scene and gathered evidence following a pursuit and officer-involved shooting in which a suspect was killed. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Warden declined to elaborate on the sequence of events, citing the investigation being conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

But he said the Honda’s driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, was killed and the deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave, according to sheriff’s office policy.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Belpre Police Department responded to the scene as well. With the assistance of Ohio Department of Transportation personnel, Ohio 339 was closed from the park and ride at U.S. 50 to Veto Road, a distance of a little more than four miles.

“I left this morning at probably 6:50, and they already had this whole road shut down,” said Tony Rowell, who lives on 339 about a mile north of the park and ride. He was eventually able to get back to his house after taking his kids to school.

The road reopened around 3:30 p.m., according to ODOT District 10.

An Ohio State Highway Patrol car sat next to a vehicle that was struck by a suspect’s car (not pictured) fleeing from a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy Thursday on Ohio 339 near Oxbow Road. The suspect was killed shortly after the crash following an officer-involved shooting. (Photo by Art Smith)

BCI will investigate the shooting, because it involved a deputy, Warden said. The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

“It’s still a very active and ongoing investigation, so there’s not any more details we can share at this time,” said Steve Irwin, press secretary for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, under whose jurisdiction BCI operates.

BCI investigators will gather all evidence, conduct witness interviews and review any video related to the incident, Irwin said. Once the investigation concludes, the evidence will be turned over to the Washington County prosecutor who can decide whether charges are warranted, take the case to a grand jury or appoint a special prosecutor to handle it.

“We do not determine whether or not the use of force was proper,” Irwin said. “That determination is made by the prosecutor or the grand jury.”

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

An Ohio Department of Transportation worker directed traffic away from Ohio 339 and onto Veto Road in Vincent Thursday. The road was blocked for nearly 11 hours while investigators processed the scene of a vehicle pursuit that ended with the suspect killed in an officer-involved shooting. (Photo by Art Smith)

A sign alerted motorists at Ohio 339 and 550 in Barlow that 339 was closed ahead Thursday morning following a vehicle pursuit that ended near Belpre with a suspect killed in an officer-involved shooting. (Photo by Art Smith)

An Ohio Department of Transportation truck was parked in front of Belpre Township Cemetery on Ohio 339, up the road from where law enforcement officials converged to secure the scene of an officer-involved shooting Thursday morning. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Law enforcement officers gathered on Ohio 339 in Belpre Township Thursday morning following a pursuit and officer-involved shooting in which a suspect was killed. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

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