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Off-duty deputy nabs suspect after chase
AUSTINTOWN
A routine trip to a hardware store for one Mahoning County deputy sheriff ended as anything but routine when he was involved in a high-speed chase and arrest of a would-be thief.
Deputy Sam Oliver, a 15-year veteran of law enforcement and 14-year member of the sheriff’s department, planned on doing some shopping at the Home Depot Store, 6100 Mahoning Ave., on Wednesday for a couple of cans of spray paint.
As the off-duty officer pulled into the parking lot, he noticed a man sprinting from the store carrying two DeWalt power-tool boxes. The man was being chased by several store employees.
“I immediately knew something was wrong,” Oliver said. “No one runs out of Home Depot that fast.”
The man, later identified as Joshua Thomas, 29, of Grant Street, Warren, threw the merchandise into his car, got in, and attempted to pull away.
According to reports, Oliver pulled his personal vehicle in front of the car Thomas was driving to block the man’s escape. Oliver got out of the car with his gun drawn, identified himself as an officer and ordered Thomas to stop, but the man did not listen.
Thomas reportedly threw his car into reverse, ran over a shopping cart corral and fled out of the parking lot. Oliver got back into his car and gave chase while giving 911 operators a location for the chase.
The chase took Oliver out of Austintown and into Jackson Township, where Thomas reportedly increased speed on state Route 45. The chase went into Lordstown, where additional police officers joined the chase.
According to reports, Thomas turned onto Salt Springs Road while being pursued by two Lordstown police cars. One of the cars, according to reports, blocked Thomas from the side while the other car blocked the man from the front. Oliver blocked the car from the rear.
Oliver said he could not allow a crime to take place while working or off the clock.
“This is what we do. Just because you are off duty, that doesn’t take you off the job,” he said.
Thomas was taken into custody and arrested by Lordstown police. He is in Trumbull County Jail.
Mike Fonda of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said Thomas will be charged in Lordstown with fleeing and resisting arrest, both felonies, and eight traffic violations. He will also face felony theft charges in Austintown.
Fonda said Thomas also is scheduled to be sentenced in Trumbull County Common pleas Court for another felony theft.
Oliver did return to Home Depot to purchase the spray paint but ultimately bought the wrong shade and had to return to the store a third time. This time, there were no shoplifters waiting for him.