March 23
1:40 a.m.
While on routine patrol, an officer spotted a Buick Lacrosse in the grass near Epiphany Lutheran Church. The 66-year-old driver allegedly told the officer that the vehicle had broken down and that he may have had “a drink or two.”
After completing a field sobriety test, the man was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. At the station, his blood alcohol content measured 0.223. (The legal limit in Ohio is 0.08.)
11:57 a.m.
The Loss Prevention Officer at Kohl’s reported that two women had just stolen merchandise from the store and were leaving the lot in a Mercedes-Benz SUV with no visible license plate. Police spotted the car near Walgreens, but the Mercedes allegedly sped off when cruisers approached.
Police activated their overhead lights and followed the car onto westbound Refugee Road, but when the vehicle allegedly did not slow down, the cruisers ended the pursuit. Moments later, the 26-year-old driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to maintain speed through the roundabout.
The Mercedes clipped a light pole before crashing into a field. The women allegedly exited through the passenger door and tried to flee on foot. Officers apprehended them and transported them to OhioHealth Pickerington, where both were treated for minor injuries caused by airbag deployment.
Merchandise valued at more than $1,500 was returned to Kohl’s.
6:03 p.m.
A 13-year-old boy crossing Center Street on his bicycle was struck by a Nissan Altima. The 52-year-old driver told police that she had the green light to turn onto Columbus Street. However, the boy told police that he was in the marked crosswalk and the walk signal had been activated. Witnesses corroborated the cyclist’s account.
The boy said he had an “easy fall and landed safely.” He suffered a minor scrape to his thigh, and Violet Township medics determined that he did not need transport. Police contacted his parents.
10:48 p.m.
An officer reportedly observed a Honda Civic run the flashing red light at Hill Road and Columbus Street. The 22-year-old driver, who did not have a license, allegedly said she thought the flashing red lights were a fire department warning, not a stop signal.
March 24
9:04 a.m.
An 8-year-old boy was crossing Long Road near Pickerington Elementary School when he was struck by a Mazda CX-9 turning left from Diley Road. Witnesses told police that the child was in the marked crosswalk with the walk signal activated. The 65-year-old driver allegedly said he never saw the boy.
Violet Township medics transported the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Officers contacted the boy’s mother.
12:59 p.m.
Police arrested a woman who allegedly left Kohl’s without paying for a cart full of merchandise. She reportedly gave officers a false name and Social Security number and claimed she was 16 years old and needed to call her mother. In reality, she was 33 and wanted on a warrant. The merchandise, valued at $878.19, was returned to Kohl’s.
5:31 p.m.
Three men (ages 18, 22, and 42), a 28-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old girl were allegedly caught shoplifting $375.22 worth of merchandise from Kohl’s. Officers later learned that the 17-year-old girl had been reported missing from Whitehall.
March 25
6:00 a.m.
Overnight, someone smashed the window of a work truck parked at Comfort Inn.
1:37 p.m.
A 42-year-old man allegedly left Kroger with groceries without finalizing payment. Police escorted him back inside to complete the transaction.
3:48 p.m.
A fight broke out among students waiting for the bus at Diley Middle School.
March 26
5:55 a.m.
Someone broke into three work vehicles parked at the Hampton Inn and stole tools.
March 27
4:06 a.m.
An officer conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Maxima because the expired temporary tag in the window belonged to a different vehicle. Neither the 24-year-old driver nor her passenger had valid driver’s licenses.
9:32 a.m.
A laptop was reportedly stolen from a vehicle at Overland Park Apartments.
2:34 p.m.
Police were called to Kohl’s after a report that a 20-year-old woman had stolen children’s clothing and makeup, then left in a Kia Optima. An officer spotted the Kia on Stonecreek Drive, pulled his cruiser in front of it, and activated the overhead lights. The woman allegedly drove around the cruiser and turned onto Hill Road. Reportedly traffic was stopped at the Birchwood red light (near Donatos and Rick’s Freshmade Cafe), but the Kia pulled into oncoming traffic to go around.
The vehicle then turned onto Refugee Road where it allegedly “accelerated at a great rate of speed.” The cruisers ended the pursuit but could see the car enter the roundabout. Due to excessive speed, the driver lost control, veered off the road, and kicked up dust before reentering the pavement. However, both front tires had been punctured and she was forced to stop.
Police arrested the woman and returned merchandise totaling $371.29 to Kohl’s. Officers also confiscated a bag of suspected marijuana, as the woman was underage.
3:47 p.m.
The general manager of Ulta Beauty reported that a man suspected of shoplifting from other Ulta locations was currently in the store. When police approached the 36-year-old man, they informed him he was a suspect in prior thefts and asked if he had any merchandise on him. The man allegedly pulled a flat iron from the inside pocket of his puffy coat.
After providing ID, dispatchers discovered that the man had multiple warrants from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The man allegedly said he had gone through this same process multiple times and that the Highway Patrol never requested extradition. Moments later, dispatch confirmed that the Highway Patrol declined to extradite the man.
The suspect was issued a “No Trespass” order for the Pickerington Ulta and released. Later that day, someone who allegedly sounded like the suspect, left a voicemail with police, claiming someone had used his name during a theft. Officers returned the call, but no one answered. The ID photo matched the man officers had spoken to.
March 28
3:03 a.m.
Police stopped a gray Audi A4 on eastbound I-70 because the registration belonged to a green Audi. The 42-year-old driver did not have a license.
7:16 p.m.
The Loss Prevention Officer at Kohl’s reported that a man was in the process of shoplifting from the store. When police confronted the 27-year-old suspect in the parking lot, they noted that he wore several layers of clothing, many with Kohl’s tags still attached. A cardboard shape-protector was still inside his hat.
The suspect allegedly slipped out of the officers’ grasp during handcuffing and fled into a nearby retirement community. After a five-minute search, he was reportedly found hiding under a truck. Officers arrested him and recovered merchandise, including a large magnet possibly used to remove security tags.
7:41 p.m.
As police wrapped up an earlier shoplifting call at Kohl’s, a woman allegedly exited the store without paying for her cartload of merchandise. Officers stopped the 63-year-old woman and returned the items, valued at $288.66. She was wanted on a warrant out of Reynoldsburg.
Police Reports March 16-22, 2025
