PRESS RELEASE

On September 3, 2024 at approximately 12:54 a.m. a Darke County Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near the intersection of State Route 49 and Hogpath Road, Greenville, Ohio.

The Deputy made contact with the driver and observed what appeared to be illegal narcotics in plain view.

When the Deputy asked the driver to exit the vehicle, the driver grabbed the suspected illegal narcotics and put the vehicle into gear and sped off.

The pursuit travelled northwest on State Route 49 before turning north onto U.S. 127.  Darke County Deputies were able to successfully deploy stop-sticks on the vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 127 and U.S. 36 East.

The vehicle turned west onto Kruckeberg Road before the driver lost control and drove into a grass field, where it traveled into a pond and became disabled.

The driver fled from the vehicle and proceeded to run through the pond and overgrown vegetation area. Deputies lost sight of the driver, so a Darke County Sheriff’s Office K-9 was deployed.

The K-9 located the driver, who was hidden in a thick section of vegetation. The Darke County Deputies and Greenville Police Officers entered into the pond and were able to take the driver into custody.

The driver was identified as Michael Johnson (33) of Union City, Indiana. Greenville Township Rescue responded to the scene to treat Michael for minor injuries sustained from the K9.

Michael refused treatment and was also medically cleared from Wayne Healthcare before being transported to the Darke County Sheriff’s Office Jail. Michael was booked into jail under the following charges:

Tampering with Evidence – Felony 3

Failure to Comply - Misdemeanor 1

Obstruction - Misdemeanor 2

Resisting Arrest - Misdemeanor 2