(9-24-25) On September 24, 2025 at approximately 1:10AM an Allen County Sheriff’s Office deputy initiated a routine traffic stop on North Baxter Street in Lima, Ohio. The driver failed to comply and began to flee. A vehicle pursuit ensued throughout Lima, with the driver continuously ignoring law-enforcement commands to stop.
Near the intersection of Metcalf and Robb the driver intentionally swerved and accelerated at a high rate of speed towards a deputy deploying stop sticks. The driver was not successful in striking the deputy.
Stop sticks were deployed again on North Defiance Trail by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The driver did run over the stops sticks but still did not stop and continued into Auglaize County where are the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office also joined the pursuit.
At approximately 1:50 AM, after striking another set of stop sticks, the vehicle eventually came to a stop at the 14000 block of Moulton-New Knoxville Road in Auglaize County. The suspect remained non-compliant for a short time, but then was taken into custody without further incident.
The driver was identified as Johnathon Herder (DOB 12/04/1978) of Lima. He has been booked into the Allen County Jail on a charge of failure to comply with order of a police officer. It was also discovered that Herder had a warrant for his arrest.
This incident remains under investigation.
Mercer County Outlook 