BY WILLIAM A. WEATHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
R. Stephens
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A police road pursuit Sunday that began in Newtownand proceeded through Campbell County, ended in downtown Cincinnati when the driver of a pickup with stolen license plates crashed into a building.
"We're glad that it ended here before we got to a more populated area," Bellevue Patrolman Jimmy Poynter said at the crash scene in the 300 block of Sycamore Street.
Robert L. Stephens, 30, of the 2300 block of Vine Street in Corryville, was charged by Cincinnati police with felony fleeing and eluding, receiving stolen property and several traffic violations. Newtown police charged Mr. Stephens with felony fleeing and eluding and felony receiving stolen property. Additional charges are pending in Bellevue.
Patrolman Poynter's cruiser hit the rear of the out-of-control pickup after it crashed.
Police estimated Mr. Stephens was driving upward of 90 miles per hour on the Daniel Carter Beard (Interstate 471) Bridge. Neither he nor any of the police officers involved in the pursuit was injured.
At 3:50 p.m., Newtown Police Officer Tom Synan saw the Toyota pickup carrying several boxed appliances.
"We've had several thefts (of appliances) so I ran his license plate," Officer Synan said.
Just as he received word that the plate was stolen, the pickup took off, said Officer Synan.
The pickup went back and forth on Ohio 32, crossing the grassy median twice before getting on Interstate 275.
The pickup crossed into Kentucky where the Ohio cruisers dropped the pursuit. Bellevue and Southgate cruisers picked up the pursuit that continued into Cincinnati.
"He was trying to ram into the cruisers," said Southgate Police Spc. Keith Reinhardt.
Newport Police Sgt. Coy Cox said the pickup struck one vehicle in Newport just before it drove onto I-471. The Cadillac had minor damage and the two people in it were not injured, he said.
Spc. Reinhardt, who continued the pursuit, said the pickup "hit three or four cars on the (I-471) bridge."
In the 300 block of Sycamore, the pickup driver "lost control and started sliding sideways," Spc. Reinhardt said.
"He was attempting to ram me and he hit the wall (of a parking garage about 4:25 p.m.)," said Patrolman Poynter.
The pickup also struck a utility vehicle on Sycamore, but the driver was not injured.
