Deputies involved in shooting, killing trucker who drove wrong way return to work

UPDATE @11:30 a.m. 10/18/19

Four deputies involved in the shooting death of a semi-truck driver who led police on a two-hour pursuit and drove the wrong way will not be charged.

The four employees were cleared to return to work today after a Van Wert special grand jury concluded no charges would be filed.

>> First wrong-way driver detector corridor launches in Ohio

FIRST REPORT 9/4/19

A semi truck driver who led authorities on a two-hour pursuit, drove the wrong way and made threats to kill people, was shot and killed by police Tuesday morning.

At 8:11 a.m. Tuesday, a Spencerville officer attempted to stop the semi due to a reported criminal complaint. The suspect, identified as Terry Pierce Jr., 46, of Spencerville, fled, according to a release from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

The semi was reported stolen from a GLM Transport location in Van Wert. Pierce was not an employee of the company and police cannot confirm his reason for stealing the tractor at this time.

Authorities, including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, attempted to stop the semi and driver using stop sticks, negotiations over the phone, shooting tires and vehicle maneuvers, according to the release.

The driver drove into the eastbound lanes of U.S. 30 and continued driving west against oncoming traffic and made repeated threats to kill people, according to the release.

At 10:04 a.m., almost two hours after the initial traffic stop was attempted, the driver was shot and killed by officers on U.S. 30 near Feasby Wisener Road in Van Wert County.

The SWAT team were the only officers that discharged their weapons during the incident, the sheriff’s office confirmed.

>> 10 reasons why spike strips aren’t used to stop wrong-way drivers

“Pursuing officers determined the operator and semi were an imminent threat to the safety of citizens and made the determination to neutralize the threat by firing on the operator,” said Allen County Sheriff Matthew B. Treglia in the release.

The investigation is being handled by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigations.

About the Author