Willoughby pursuit leads to driver's arrest for impaired driving

A 53-year-old man was arrested for OVI and failure to comply after leading police on a slow-motion chase from Kirtland to Willoughby.

According to Willoughby Police Detective Lt. John Begovic, on Sept. 4, Willoughby dispatch notified Kirtland police of a vehicle driving recklessly on State Route 306. The caller reported the vehicle struck something and continued north.

A description of the vehicle has been provided.

Begovic confirmed that a Willoughby officer responded to the area and observed the vehicle, a gray 2024 Kia ​​Sol, traveling westbound on Kirtland Road in Willoughby. The officer began following the vehicle, which had front-end damage. The officer observed the driver operating the vehicle erratically and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

The driver failed to stop and continued west on Kirtland Road at a low rate of speed. The driver then turned onto Johnnycake Ridge Road and came to a stop in the Daniels Park area.

Additional units arrived on scene to assist and the driver was removed from the vehicle. No one else was in the vehicle.

The driver was placed under arrest and transported to the Willoughby Police Department jail. He was charged with reckless driving, dangerous driving and failure to obey rules and was then transported to the Lake County Jail to await arraignment, Begovic added.