Ohio: Suspect nearly strikes Blue Ash officer before car chase on I-71

A Blue Ash police officer had a close call with a suspect while attempting to stop him. Clarence Williams, 30, was spotted outside Red Roof Inn in Blue Ash on Friday, according to police.

Police said officers ran Williams' license plate, noticed an outstanding felony warrant and attempted to stop him. "[They] said they needed to talk with him, [he] ran to the car, got into the car. The officer tried to get him out of the car after he got in, but he backed the car out," Sgt. Steve Keller explained. "The officer tried to get him to stop. The gentleman came at the officer with his car and the officer was able to get out of the way before he was hit."

Keller said those officers then followed Williams from Red Roof Inn to Interstate 71 southbound at Pfeiffer Road. Dash camera video from police shows Williams weaving in and out of traffic on the highway for about two miles. At one point, he does slow down to throw something out the window, according to police.

"It was actually a camera case bag, and another officer that was also in the pursuit was able to stop and retrieve the bag right away and then it was found, [to contain] illegal narcotics," Keller said.

Williams eventually stopped his car near Ronald Reagan Highway, then complied with officers' orders before he was arrested.

"You obviously don't know what he's going to do. That's why you use all your training and experience to remain behind cover, because you don't know if all of a sudden he's going to pull something out, take off running again, take off in the car again," Keller said.

Williams was booked at the Hamilton County Justice Center on multiple charges, including failure to comply with an officer, assault and drug possession.

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