Man Throws Wood from Pickup During Police Chase in Ohio, Causing Multi‑Vehicle Crash

A dramatic police chase Tuesday evening on I‑75 in Montgomery County ended in a wrong‑way crash and criminal charges after a man riding in the bed of a fleeing pickup truck threw wooden planks at pursuing officers.

The incident began around 8:30 p.m. near Diamond Mill Road and Wolf Creek Pike when a Perry Township officer attempted to stop a white GMC Sierra for lacking visible registration. The driver refused to pull over and sped away, prompting a high‑speed pursuit that involved the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which monitored the chase by helicopter.

During the pursuit, troopers deployed stop sticks that successfully deflated several of the truck’s tires. However, the vehicle continued traveling at high speed, even on shredded rims. Aerial video revealed a person standing in the truck’s bed, hurling wooden boards toward police vehicles in an apparent attempt to disable them.

The chase took a dangerous turn when the pickup crossed the median and began driving the wrong way on I‑75, ultimately colliding head-on with another vehicle. The incident led to a six-car pileup, causing a temporary shutdown of the highway.

All four occupants of the pickup fled on foot following the crash but were quickly apprehended. Authorities identified the driver as 46-year-old James Collins. The passengers were named as 37-year-old Candra Lakes, 40-year-old Zaquan Farley, and 49-year-old Thomas Downey.

All four suspects are facing multiple charges, including drug possession and aggravated vehicular assault. Eight people—including the four from the truck and four others involved in the collision—were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Major Jeremy Roy described the event as “a life and death situation,” saying the driver “decided that he is going to take a 6,000-pound missile and go into oncoming traffic,” endangering everyone on the road.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol Dayton Post and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate the events and charges stemming from the chaotic pursuit.