A semi-truck driver accused of holding his wife hostage is in custody after leading police on a reckless chase down I-275.
Patrick Berthelot, of Alabama, was originally charged with kidnapping. Since then, a grand jury has added four counts of felonious assault and two counts of failure to comply with police. The four accounts of assault are for allegedly trying to hit officers with his truck.
Ohio State Highway Patrol received calls around 1:30 p.m. on July 18 of a reckless driver in Butler County, OH.
Police pursued 39-year-old Berthelot into the city of Cincinnati, onto I-71 and eventually down I-275.
According to police, Berthelot attempted to back his truck up to try to hit officers. He also drove back and forth on the wrong side of the highway putting oncoming traffic in danger.
Berthelot would periodically stop the truck to communicate with police and then get back inside to start driving again. He detached the tractor-trailer and continued to speed down the interstate with his wife inside the truck. Berthelot continued for several hours with dozens of officers in pursuit. At one point he finally let his wife out, who was immediately taken to the hospital by officials.
Stop sticks were used but failed to stop the truck. The SWAT team fired a 50-caliber rifle round into the engine, forcing the truck to come to a stop.
Berthelot held himself at knifepoint and was tased before being taken into custody at 3:30 p.m. He was transported to UC Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries.
Berthelot is currently in custody on a $275,000 bond.