A Chesapeake man is facing multiple felony charges after a high-speed pursuit ended with his arrest following the theft of two vehicles. Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman reported that the incident began early Tuesday morning, June 18, 2024, when the 911 communication center received a call at 7:36 a.m. from a man who reported his pickup truck stolen from the Speedee Mart on 220 Center Street in Wheelersburg, Ohio. The victim stated that an unknown male had driven away in his truck while he was inside the store.
Deputies were dispatched to the scene but were soon redirected when a second call came in, reporting that the stolen truck had crashed on Hayport Road. According to the caller, the truck was found in a ditch on its side, just across the train tracks near the Wheelersburg exit ramp.
Detectives who arrived at the crash site discovered that a motorist had stopped to assist the man involved in the wreck. However, the suspect seized the opportunity, jumped into the motorist’s vehicle, and fled at high speed.
The 911 communication center promptly disseminated a description of the second stolen vehicle, including its tag number, to all local law enforcement agencies. A Coal Grove police officer soon located the vehicle and attempted to stop it, but the suspect refused to comply, initiating a high-speed chase that exceeded 100 mph. The pursuit involved several law enforcement agencies, including the South Point Police, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The chase concluded on County Road 1 in Lawrence County when the stolen vehicle broke down in front of an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper who was working an off-duty detail. The suspect exited the vehicle, raised his hands, and surrendered to the arriving officers.
The suspect, identified as Johnny Dale Lewis, 41, of Chesapeake, Ohio, was transported to Saint Mary’s in Ironton for treatment and subsequently released. Detectives from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office then took him into custody. Investigations revealed that Lewis had been court-ordered to a rehabilitation center in Portsmouth, Ohio, and had attempted to cut off his ankle monitor before fleeing the facility on foot around midnight. During his escape, he stole two vehicles in Wheelersburg.
Lewis has been charged with two counts of Grand Theft Auto, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of felony theft, a fifth-degree felony. He is currently held on a $12,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Additionally, Lewis faces pending charges for traffic violations in both Lawrence and Scioto Counties related to the pursuit, which the Ohio State Highway Patrol will handle.
Sheriff David Thoroughman extended his gratitude to all the agencies involved in the incident and urged anyone with additional information to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091. The investigation is ongoing.
