125 MPH police chase results in Trumbull County turnpike crash

 Several charges have been filed against a Cleveland man accused of leading police on a high-speed pursuit for ten miles along the Ohio Turnpike that resulted in a traffic crash and foot chase in Trumbull County.

According to the Portage County Sheriff’s Department, deputies patrolling just west of Windham on Thursday afternoon began chasing a car they say had an obstructed license plate and heavily tinted windows.

With speeds reaching 125 miles per hour, the pursuit continued along the turnpike into Trumbull County where, according to deputies, the car being chased caused a traffic crash near the Route 5 interchange, causing minor injuries to the occupant of another vehicle.

The crash disabled the suspect’s car and the driver got out and ran into a wooded area, according to the sheriff’s department.

The Portage County SWAT team began to search the area, along with State Troopers, Trumbull County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Newton Falls Police.

Searchers say they found the suspected driver, 46-year-old Maurice Matthews of Cleveland, hiding in an abandoned garage along Newton Falls Braceville Road in Braceville Township.

Matthews was booked into the Portage County Jail on charges of failure to comply with a police order, obstructing official business, breaking and entering, drug possession, driving under suspension, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless operation, and following too close.

In addition to having existing arrest warrants for robbery, burglary, larceny, and shoplifting, deputies say Matthews has previous convictions for vandalism, drug abuse, receiving stolen property, drug possession, DUI, theft, drug trafficking, aggravated menacing, obstructing official business, trespassing, theft, falsification, criminal damaging, and menacing by stalking.