Suspects arrested in three car chases
Post staff report Covington police had a simple explanation for three chases within four hours overnight: ''A full moon.''
The string of car and foot chases began shortly after 10 p.m. Monday near the Licking River when a Covington officer spotted a car that had been reported stolen from the Mainstrasse area.
After a brief car chase, the driver jumped out of the still-moving car at a dead end on Lavassor Avenue, police said. After a foot chase, police arrested Michael Cook, 21, of Covington and charged him with fleeing police and receiving stolen property over $300.
Shortly after midnight, a chase that began in Hamilton County with speeds reaching 115 miles per hour on Interstate 71 ended in Goebel Park. That car had been reported stolen in Hamilton County's Columbia Township.
''It came across the (Brent Spence) bridge and went through Covington where the guy struck two cars at Fourth and Russell and then rammed a Hamilton County cruiser at Fourth and Madison,'' said Covington Assistant Police Chief Lt. Col. Jim Liles. ''Then he went off the road at the Fourth Street entrance to I-75 south, where the driver jumped out of the car and took off running. He was caught by Covington officers at Goebel Park.''
Arrested and charged with receiving stolen property over $300, fleeing police and possession of cocaine was Jeremiah Sebastian, 19, of Cincinnati. He also faces charges in Hamilton County.
About two hours later Covington and Newport police took part in the third pursuit after Newport police discovered a handgun in a car stopped on a traffic violation. The driver took off, sped through Covington and into Cincinnati on I-75. Cincinnati police picked up the pursuit and captured the suspect near the Hopple Street exit at about 2:25 a.m. after police said a gun was tossed from the car.