By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer
and David Eck
Enquirer contributor

Members of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department were among those on the scene in Sharonville after a driver who rammed police cruisers was shot to death early Wednesday. The Cincinnati Enquirer/GLENN HARTONG

SHARONVILLE - A man fatally shot by police after he rammed three police cruisers and tried to run down a sheriff's deputy had a lengthy traffic record, police said Wednesday

Anthony Myers, 42, of North College Hill, died at Bethesda North Hospital early Wednesday. He was shot twice in the torso by two Blue Ash police officers after a chase ended at U.S. 42 and Interstate 275, authorities said.

Myers had 29 traffic offense convictions and a drug-trafficking conviction, and was driving with a suspended license, Sharonville Police Chief Michael Schappa said.

Authorities gave this account:

A Hamilton County sheriff's deputy tried to pull over Myers about 1:40 a.m. near Kemper and Montgomery roads after spotting him driving erratically.

Myers drove south on Montgomery Road and pulled into the parking lot of Bethesda North Hospital. He drove around the parking lot before coming back onto Montgomery. He turned south, but then quickly did a U-turn and headed north.

Entering I-275, Meyers drove west and took the exit onto U.S. 42.

He crashed through a guardrail, turned his black Chevrolet Blazer around and struck two police cruisers. He tried to run down a sheriff's deputy who was standing nearby, Schappa said, then rammed a third cruiser head-on before being shot.

The two Blue Ash officers involved in the shooting, Sgt. Richard K. Riley and Officer Pete A. Ballauer, were out of their vehicles when the shots were fired, Schappa said.

Sharonville will investigate whether the officers did anything that violates the state criminal code, and Blue Ash will conduct an investigation to determine whether they complied with departmental policy concerning the use of lethal force.

These investigations are conducted after any shooting involving a police officer, Blue Ash Police Chief Chris Wallace said.

"They're both experienced, very level-headed and very professional officers," he said.

The two officers had never fired their guns on duty until Wednesday, Wallace said.

Riley and Ballauer have been placed on paid leaves of absence and, before returning to work, will receive counseling to help them cope with the emotional trauma of the shooting, he said.

It is not known why Myers fled when the deputy tried to stop him, police said, adding that the chase never exceeded 65 mph. The family declined to comment Wednesday night.

U.S. 42 at I-275 was closed for most of the morning while officers investigated.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com and daveck@fuse.net