Columbus police officers arrested a local man Monday morning after he was accused of stealing a vehicle and later crashing it during a pursuit while attempting to evade law enforcement.
At approximately 7:35 a.m. Monday, CPD officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Ninth Street in regards to the theft or a vehicle. When officers arrived, they spoke with the vehicle owner who advised that she started her vehicle so it could warm up before she took her child to school. The owner advised that moments later, she looked outside and the vehicle was gone.
A few minutes later, officers observed the stolen vehicle, a 1999 Honda Accord, in the area of 16th Street and Orinoco Avenue, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the suspect refused to pull over. The suspect, later identified as Damarcis C. Scrogham, 25, of Columbus, led officers on a high speed pursuit, Harris said.
Scrogham lost control of the stolen vehicle and struck an unoccupied parked vehicle near 22nd Street and Union Street, Harris said. Scrogham then is accused of fleeing the crash scene on foot and was apprehended by CPD officers a short time later in the backyard of a nearby residence where he was placed under arrest.
After being medically cleared at Columbus Regional Hospital, Scrogham was remanded to the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of auto theft (Level 6 felony), resisting law enforcement in a vehicle (Level 6 felony), reckless driving (Class C misdemeanor), leaving the scene of an accident (Class C Misdemeanor).
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
