Law enforcement in Hicksville, Ohio, chased a DUI suspect at less than 35 mph. However, police still resorted to using spike strips three separate times to stop the runaway vehicle, puncturing three of the vehicle’s tires in the process. Worryingly, the suspectedly drunk motorist had two people in the car with him, including a kid. 

Police in Hicksville, Ohio used spike strips to stop a DUI suspect in one of the slowest pursuits imaginable

At just after midnight, a Hicksville, Ohio business called the police to alert them to a possible DUI motorist. Officers arrived to find the suspect vehicle driving erratically and violating traffic laws. However, the slow-moving car refused to stop when police prompted it to pull over.

As with just about any failure to stop, it triggered a pursuit. But this wasn’t some blast down a populated highway at break-neck speeds. Instead, police officers say the chase didn’t exceed 35 mph. Still, even with slow speeds, the DUI suspect refused to relent and police couldn’t force him to stop.

Police then decided to deploy spike strips to stop the slow-moving suspect. Spike strips, or tire deflation devices (TDDs), are a common tool for police departments to stop dangerous, potentially deadly pursuits. As it sounds, the TDDs use an array of spikes or barbs to puncture a suspect vehicle’s tires. The goal? Immobilize the vehicle by removing its ability to drive.

Well, despite the slow speeds of the chase, police resorted to deploying spike strips three times. The multiple attempts punctured three tires. Despite the rapidly deflating tires, the DUI suspect carried on, driving across the state line into Indiana.

Fortunately, the suspect vehicle eventually came to a stop. Police officers arrested the slow-moving criminal, a 41-year-old Indiana man and charged him with a litany of crimes like DUI and driving without a license. Most notably, law enforcement charged him with child endangerment after finding a minor and another passenger in the vehicle.