Hardin County sheriff deputies were involved in a chase of someone driving a stolen vehicle on Jan. 6. The department's news release follows:

A Hardin County Deputy Sheriff was patrolling southbound on U.S. 68 at approximately 7 p.m. when he passed a northbound Jeep.

The deputy’s LPR (License Plate Reader) gave him a stolen vehicle notification on the Jeep. The deputy turned around and caught up to the vehicle near the U.S. 30 and U.S. 68 interchange.

A traffic stop was initiated, and the deputy removed the driver from the vehicle. While investigating a passenger in the car jumped into the driver’s seat and drove away.

Another Hardin County deputy took custody of the original driver while the arresting deputy pursued the vehicle. The Hancock County Sheriff’s office, Wyandot County Sheriff’s office, The Forest Police Department and the Upper Sandusky Police Department all assisted in the pursuit as they traveled east on U.S. 30.

The fleeing vehicle exited U.S. 30 at County Road 330 in Wyandot County and as it did it struck a vehicle at that intersection causing heavy damage and injuring both occupants of the vehicle.

The fleeing Jeep continued into Upper Sandusky where it eventually stopped. The two remaining occupants were taken into custody along with the original driver and returned to Hardin County, eventually being incarcerated in the Multi-County Corrections Center and the Logan County Juvenile Detention Center.

Charges of:
• Receiving Stolen Property,
• Failure to Comply with the Order of a Peace Officer,
• Having Weapons Under Disability,
• Improper Handling of a Firearm and
• Tampering with Evidence

are pending on all three suspects along with charges from Wyandot County. The two adults also have felony warrants out of Franklin County.