Plain City police are looking for a man who fled the scene of a traffic stop north of the village late Thursday night.
Victor Dematteis, 20, of Amity Pike in Plain City, was driving on North Chillicothe Street just after 10 p.m. when a Plain City police officer spotted his vehicle.
“Officer (Josh) Hirtzinger observed that the vehicle only had one working headlight and appeared to have to no visible plates,” said Lt. Tom Jaskiewicz of the Plain City Police Department. “A traffic stop was initiated but the driver fled in his vehicle.”
According to the police report, Dematteis led law enforcement on a brief chase, leaving the village limits on U.S. 42 north. He turned left onto Hickory Ridge Road leading the chase down several county roads before turning back onto U.S. 42 near Arnold in Jerome Township, the report stated.
“Dematteis turned right onto Currier Road at which point he began driving through some residential yards,” Jaskiewicz said. “He then entered a farm field where his vehicle got stuck.”
At that point, Dematteis escaped on foot.
The Plain City K-9 unit, Union County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSP) assisted with the pursuit. An OPS helicopter was also brought in to aid in the search.
“This morning, charges were filed in Marysville to get a warrant for Mr. Dematteis,” said Jaskiewicz. “We also talked with the Union County prosecutor’s office about the charges.”
Dematteis’ red 2004 Ford Explorer was impounded and he was charged with felony fleeing, alluding and failure to comply. Other charges are still pending as the case is still in progress.
“Since he is not yet in custody, we are currently speaking with property owners in the area and trying to ID people whose property was damaged,” Jaskiewicz said.