Springfield man indicted in kidnapping case pleads not guilty to traffic charges

A Springfield man was arraigned Thursday by video in the Clark County Municipal Court on charges stemming from fleeing a traffic stop.

Edward Duane Crawford, 40, pleaded not guilty to failure to comply with order or signal of police officer, operating without a valid license and failure to control, court records show. He was given a $11,000 bond and remains in the Clark County Jail as of Thursday afternoon.

Crawford was indicted in March on kidnapping and other charges but was not in custody at the time.

In the most recent incident, an officer was patrolling the area of Dayton Avenue and West Jefferson Street on April 11 when he noticed a man identified as Crawford in a Chevy Monte Carlo at a traffic light, according to an affidavit filed in the case. The officer said he recognized Crawford due to his previous felony warrants and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.

The officer turned on his overhead lights while he was traveling behind Crawford onto West High Street.

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“Mr. Crawford then passed two vehicles by going left of center in a no passing zone. Mr. Crawford then came to the intersection of South Western Avenue and West High Street where he ran the stop sign without slowing down,” the affidavit says.

The officer continued to pursue Crawford with his lights and sirens onto West High Street and South Yellow Springs Street.

As Crawford went to turn right onto South Yellow Springs Street, he went left of center and hit a U-Haul cargo truck head-on, the affidavit says.

Crawford then backed up, almost hitting the officers vehicle, and fled back toward West High Street. The officer continued to pursue Crawford onto South Lowry Street where he ran the stop sign at West Pleasant Street and almost struck another vehicle.

“Mr. Crawford was traveling approximately 60 mph and ran the stop signs at Fair Street, West Euclid Street, West Grand Avenue and West Southern Avenue,” the affidavit says.

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The officer then lost sight of Crawford, and was unable to find him in the area.

Springfield police requested warrants on Crawford for no license, failure to control, hit skip and failure to comply with the signal of a police officer.

He was arrested around 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday night, according to jail records.

Crawford was indicted in early March on kidnapping, abduction, felonious assault and domestic violence charges after allegedly sticking a gun in a pregnant woman’s mouth and held her for a $200 ransom in February.

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