LORAIN — An Elyria man is facing several charges after leading police on a chase through Amherst and Lorain Tuesday that ended with a foot chase and the suspect’s arrest, according to a sheriff’s report.

Wright

Ronnie Wright Jr., 25, of Elyria, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, failure to comply with police, obstructing official business, failure to obey traffic control devices, driving under suspension and reckless operation. He was being held Tuesday night at the Lorain County Jail on $16,000 bond.

A Lorain County sheriff’s deputy noticed a car stopped at a green light at the intersection of Middle Ridge Road and state Route 2 in Amherst Township about 2 a.m. Tuesday. After getting no response when signaling the driver to move, the deputy approached the vehicle and saw Wright apparently asleep behind the wheel.

After banging on the window to wake up Wright, the deputy told him to put the vehicle in park.

When Wright reportedly refused to comply and reached between the front seats, the deputy pepper-sprayed him, at which point Wright took off, according to the report.

A chase followed into Lorain along Middle Ridge Road, then South Broadway. The sheriff’s report said Wright sped into Lorain, almost hitting several vehicles and not stopping at stop signs. Wright later turned off state Route 58, driving through grass yards behind O’Hara’s Liquor.

Wright then got out of the car and ran into a wooded area but was found after authorities used a thermal imaging device, the report said. During the search following Wright’s arrest, the deputy found two small baggies of crack cocaine — one in Wright’s coat pocket, one in his car.

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