Washington Court House, OH – Anthony B. Rucker, 36, of Cuba, Ohio, is currently behind bars at the Fayette County Jail facing multiple felony charges following a dramatic incident involving the theft of a motor vehicle with a minor child inside.
According to Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth, the harrowing events unfolded on Saturday, July 13, 2024, when the Fayette County Communications Center received a distress call at 12:52 p.m. A frantic parent reported their 2023 Toyota Tundra had been stolen from the Travelcenters of America at the SR 435 & I-71 interchange. Most alarming was the revelation that the caller’s 15-year-old child had been asleep in the vehicle at the time of the theft.
As deputies and surrounding agencies were dispatched, a second 911 call came in from inside the stolen vehicle itself. The juvenile occupant, audibly distressed, pleaded with the suspect to release her. The Communications Center, monitoring the call, coordinated efforts to track the vehicle based on landmarks provided by the child.
At approximately 1:00 p.m., the child informed authorities that the suspect had stopped the vehicle, allowing her to exit, although she was disoriented about her exact location. Fortunately, off-duty Sheriff’s Lieutenant Matt Weidman located the juvenile in the 4000 block of Palmer Rd and confirmed her safety.
Meanwhile, the stolen Toyota Tundra was spotted by Deputy Tylan Martin on SR 729 near Milledgeville. Upon attempting a traffic stop, the suspect evaded capture, initiating a high-speed chase that traversed SR 435 and culminated in a collision near the roundabout leading to the L-H Battery (Honda) construction area.
The collision involved the suspect’s vehicle and Deputy Martin’s cruiser. Both Rucker and Deputy Martin sustained minor injuries and were treated at Adena Fayette Medical Center before being released.
Rucker was subsequently taken into custody and charged with a slew of serious offenses, including Felonious Assault (F-1), Possession of Drugs (F-4), Theft of a Motor Vehicle (F-4), Fleeing and Eluding (F-3), and Kidnapping (F-2). Additionally, warrants for his arrest were pending in Highland and Clermont counties at the time of his apprehension.
Appearing before Washington Municipal Court on July 16th, Rucker was ordered held without bond pending a preliminary hearing set for the following week.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol conducted an investigation into the collision between the stolen vehicle and the sheriff’s cruiser. Fortunately, the juvenile involved was safely reunited with her parents and was unharmed.
The case is now under review by the Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office for potential additional charges.
