A dramatic high-speed pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies ended with the arrest of Willard Patrick Allison after his vehicle crashed into a creek in Ross County on December 31, 2024.
The incident began when the Chillicothe Police Department initiated a pursuit, and Ross County Sheriff’s Deputies were called in for assistance. Deputies JoHansen and Masters responded immediately to the call, with limited information initially provided regarding the cause of the pursuit. It was later revealed that Allison, the suspect, had an active warrant and prior weapons charges, prompting a more urgent response from authorities.
During the pursuit, dispatch informed officers that the fleeing suspect was throwing bags out of the vehicle. While traveling westbound on State Route 180, Deputy JoHansen observed Allison’s vehicle swerving and speeding at approximately 60-70 miles per hour. At one point, a female passenger, exited the vehicle while it was still in motion. The vehicle continued into a field before returning to the roadway, with deputies in pursuit.
Deputy Masters later took the lead in the pursuit as the vehicle headed eastbound on SR-180. Signs of possible impairment became evident when the driver was observed swerving erratically and later reportedly seen smoking from a crack pipe. Meanwhile, the female passenger’s exit from the vehicle raised concerns of a potential abduction.
Authorities also received information that Allison may have thrown a firearm from the vehicle, with Deputy Masters observing a metal object falling from the moving vehicle around the 8500 block of SR-180. The pursuit continued southbound on SR-327, where, due to Allison’s prior criminal history and the dangerous nature of his driving, the decision was made for Chillicothe officers to take primary control of the pursuit in an attempt to bring it to a safer resolution.
Chillicothe officers attempted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT), but the suspect continued to evade capture by swerving across the roadway. The pursuit reached its end when Allison lost control of his vehicle around the 29000 block of SR-327 and crashed into a creek, overturning in the water.
Deputies JoHansen and Masters, along with Chillicothe police officers and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, quickly entered the creek to extract Allison from the wreckage. After communicating with the suspect, officers were able to free him from the vehicle. He was arrested and placed in custody without requiring medical attention, though he refused treatment from Vinton County EMS.
The crash, which caused significant damage to the suspect’s vehicle, was followed by the retrieval of the car from the creek by a tow service, as law enforcement cleared the scene.
The pursuit and subsequent arrest were a collaborative effort between the Ross County Sheriff’s Office, Chillicothe Police Department, and Ohio State Highway Patrol, all working together to safely end the dangerous situation.
