We’ve learned new details about what started the police chase involving repeat offender Chester Harrison—a pursuit that ended in one of the last places most fugitives would choose to stop: the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.
According to reports, the incident began at the Speedway in Lucasville.
🚨 REFUSED TO LEAVE SPEEDWAY
Scioto County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched after employees reported a man was refusing to leave the property.
When deputies arrived, they identified the man as Chester Harrison and formally banned him from the business.
The situation appeared to be over.
It wasn’t.
🚔 FROM TRESPASS CALL TO HIGH-SPEED CHASE
A deputy followed Harrison as he left the area and headed toward the Super 8 motel.
That’s when, according to reports, Harrison suddenly sped away.
Deputies say the vehicle quickly reached speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour.
As the pursuit continued toward the Maple Benner area, the Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Spike strips deployed
With the chase heading toward Portsmouth, law enforcement agencies coordinated efforts to stop the fleeing vehicle.
Portsmouth Police were notified, and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers deployed spike strips near U.S. 23 just south of Buffalo Wild Wings.
The tactic worked.
🤦 THE CHASE ENDS AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE
In one of the more unusual endings to a police pursuit, Harrison eventually pulled into the parking lot of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.
That’s right—the chase ended at the jail.
Authorities took Harrison into custody after the pursuit.
🏥 JAIL REFUSES INTAKE
The story wasn’t quite over.
According to reports, jail staff initially refused to accept Harrison into custody.
He was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation before later being returned and booked into the Scioto County Jail.
🔄 BACK IN TROUBLE AGAIN
If Harrison’s name sounds familiar, it should.
Just days after being released following the pursuit, Portsmouth police arrested him again after reports of a man walking in traffic, waving down vehicles, and creating a disturbance near 12th and Waller Streets.
That arrest resulted in another disorderly conduct charge.
⚖️ FROM SPEEDWAY TO SPIKE STRIPS
What began as a simple trespass complaint at a Lucasville gas station quickly escalated into a multi-agency pursuit involving the Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Portsmouth Police.
For Speedway employees, it was a request to remove an unwanted customer.
For Harrison, it ended with spike strips, a trip to the hospital, and another stay in the Scioto County Jail.
