A Dayton man is in custody and faces multiple charges for what authorities said was a multi-county chase Saturday in which the subject kidnapped two children and stole two cars, the Oho State Highway Patrol reported.
The suspect, Bryon Eugene Finklea Jr., 21, of Dayton was taken into custody in Dayton on Tuesday. He is currently incarcerated in the Montgomery County Jail for unrelated local charges.
Once Finklea answers to his previous offenses — which include a domestic violence charge, according to the jail website — he will be transferred to the Warren County Jail to be arraigned on kidnapping, robbery and fleeing and eluding charges in the Franklin Municipal Court.
The incidents
The Lebanon Patrol Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol along with the Wilmington District Office of Investigative Services is investigating the double carjacking and kidnapping of two minor children that occurred around 11:36 a.m. Saturday on SR 63 near Gateway Blvd. in Turtlecreek Township, Warren County.
According to a news release Saturday from the OSHP, troopers from the Lebanon Patrol Post were working in an airspeed zone on IR 75 near milepost 34 in Franklin Township, Warren County.
A pilot with the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s aviation section checked a blue, sport utility vehicle driving 100 MPH on I-75. A Lebanon Post trooper turned on his overhead lights and siren in order to initiate a traffic stop and the 2020 Kia Niro fled the scene and a motor vehicle pursuit ensued.
The driver of the Kia Niro, Bryon Finklea Jr., 21, of Dayton, Ohio exited from I-75 southbound to westbound SR 63 in the City of Monroe. The pilot continued to relay the vehicles location to the units who were in pursuit of the vehicle.
The Kia Niro pulled into the parking lot of Kroger in Monroe. The female passenger Jonisa Reddick, 21, of Dayton, exited the vehicle and as the pursuing officers arrived Finklea fled the scene, the OSHP reported. Reddick was taken into custody without incident.
The Kia Niro continued east on SR 63 and came had become disabled and stopped at the intersection of SR 63 and Gateway Boulevard in Turtlecreek Township, Warren County. Finklea exited the Kia and carjacked a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu which was being driven by Josh Morath, 36, of Lebanon, and occupied by his two minor children who were in the back seat. Finklea stole the Malibu with the two minor children still inside.
Troopers from the Lebanon Patrol Post, Hamilton Patrol Post along with deputies from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office were in pursuit of the vehicle. The pilot continued to monitor the pursuit and relay the vehicle’s location to pursuing units.
The Chevrolet Malibu came to a stop in the area of US 42 and SR 63 in the City of Lebanon. One of the minor children exited the vehicle as officers were approaching and the Malibu fled the scene with the second minor child still in the vehicle.
A Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped and secured the minor child as other units continued to pursue the vehicle.
The second minor child was let out of the vehicle in the City of Mason and was secured by an officer with the Mason Police Department.
The Chevrolet Malibu being driven by Finklea was still fleeing from the police and was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Tylersville Road at Dudley Drive in West Chester, the OSHP stated. Finklea then exited the first stolen vehicle and carjacked a 2008 Ford Edge which was being driven by a 16-year old male from Franklin. Finklea fled the scene in the Ford Edge and headed north on I-75, the OSHP said.
The Ford Edge was spotted by officers with the Springboro Police Department as it was heading north on I-75. The vehicle exited I-75 and due to the speed of the pursuit and the traffic conditions, officers with the Springboro Police Department terminated the pursuit.
The vehicle was eventually located in a residential neighborhood in the City of Dayton by the Dayton Police Department.
The pursuit, motor vehicle crash, carjackings and kidnapping of the two minor children are being investigated by troopers at the Lebanon Patrol Post and the Wilmington District Office of Investigative Services.
Monroe Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon Police Department, Mason Police Department, West Chester Police Department, Springboro Police Department and Dayton Police Department are assisting in the investigation.
