Driver spends Thanksgiving in jail after chase

GOSHEN — A Salem Alliance Road man spent the Thanksgiving holiday in the Mahoning County jail after reports said he led police Wednesday evening on a chase that resulted in a crash.

Reports said officers about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday tried to pull over an SUV that was reported stolen and driven by Jeremy Johnson, 31, on West Fifth Street in Beloit. The driver refused to stop and at times swerved into the opposite lane of traffic to avoid police, reports said.

The SUV eventually went off the road and hit a sign and a large rock in the 18000 block of West Fifth Street, reports said, where police managed to arrest Johnson.

Reports said Johnson appeared to be intoxicated and at times was incoherent.

He was taken to Aultman Alliance Hospital to be examined, where he refused to take a breath test, reports said.

After he was released he was taken to the jail and booked in on several charges, including failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and operating a motor vehicle while impaired with the excessive blood alcohol specification.