Kenneth Moreland, 29, was arraigned in Clark County Municipal Court on Monday with fleeing/eluding officers, endangering children as well as nearly 10 traffic offenses.
Not guilty pleas were entered for him and his total bond was set at $7,000.
According to court documents filed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a trooper pulled Moreland over on I-70 near Ohio 4 for erratic driving early Saturday morning.
But when the trooper walked up to the car, Moreland sped away.
OSP Sgt. Rod Murphy said the trooper got in his cruiser to go after him. Murphy said the chase only lasted about a minute.
RELATED: Two children hospitalized after father leads police on chase
During that chase, troopers say Moreland clipped a pick up truck on the road. He lost control and went off the left side of the road, hit a concrete barrier, went back across and the highway and hit a guardrail — before finally stopping in the median.
The court documents continue on to say that Moreland tried to run away from the crash, but he was eventually taken into custody by the trooper.
Moreland’s two young children — ages 3 and 6 — were in the car with him in the front seat, unbuckled.
“I could hear the kids crying for their daddy,” the trooper said.
Sgt. Murphy added, “They were scared. We tried to comfort them.”
The kids were taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital for minor injuries. Moreland was also taken to Soin Medical Center for similar injuries.
Troopers say that when they searched Moreland’s vehicle, they found a half-empty bottle of whiskey in the front seat.
Court documents say he told troopers that he had been at bachelor party before picking his kids up at his dad’s house.
“He stated he consumed two shots and had taken two hits on his cousin’s blunt at the club,” an affidavit in the case says.
Moreland refused to give a urine sample or blood sample, but was still charged with an OVI, as well several other offenses.
As of Monday evening, Moreland was still in custody at the Clark County Jail.
2. Springfield High School student arrested after prompting lockdown
Northridge Middle School was briefly on lockdown early Friday morning, according to a release from the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
Dispatch advised that “they received information a Springfield High School student was coming to Northridge Middle School after sending threatening messages and a photo to include pictures of guns and knives to a middle school student,” the release says.
RELATED: Northridge Middle School lockdown, student arrested
Staff immediately placed the school on lockdown, which lasted less than 10 minutes, and made contact with the suspect outside of the building.
Once deputies arrived on scene, they arrested the juvenile for inducing panic and aggravated trespassing.
No weapons were found on the juvenile, who was taken to the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.
“At no time was any students in danger. The entire Northridge staff handled this incident with precision and professionalism,” the release says.
3. Springfield man charged with having sex with 15-year-old
Dallas McCormick has been charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
McCormick appeared in Clark County Municipal Court on Tuesday where he was given a $10,000 bail.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, the 15-year-old victim was interviewed by a Clark County Sheriff’s Office detective on Nov. 19.
The teen told the detective she and McCormick began a relationship in June 2019 on Facebook.
She said McCormick moved into her home with her and her parents until her parents were evicted, the affidavit said. The two then moved in with McCormick’s mother.
RELATED: A 24-year-old man charges with having sex with 15-year-old
McCormick and the victim got into an argument in November and the victim moved out to go live with her grandparents, according to the affidavit.
It was around that time that the victim was interviewed by sheriff’s detectives.
McCormick was interviewed by the sheriff’s detectives on Monday, where he admitted to having a sexual relationship with the 15-year-old victim, according to the affidavit.
“He admitted his sexual relationship with (the victim) knowing she was 15 years of age and stated her parents said it was okay,” the affidavit said.
McCormick was then arrested and charged.
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