Suspects in Lake County smash-and-grabs cause multivehicle crash while fleeing police

WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Ohio — Two suspects in a smash-and-grab at a Lake County mall tried to flee from police Tuesday but ended up being caught when their car crashed into two other vehicles on an Interstate 90 exit ramp.

A news release from Willoughby Hills police says the two suspects, a 29-year-old male from West Park, Florida, and a 42-year-old female from Eastlake, were chased down by officers after they tried to run from the scene following the crash.

Police say the man and woman are suspects in multiple vehicle smash-and-grabs in Northeast Ohio.

On Tuesday afternoon, a vehicle in the parking lot of Great Lakes Mall was rammed by a white Chrysler Pacifica with Georgia plates, police say. The Pacifica left the mall parking lot and ended up traveling west on Interstate 90.

A Willoughby Hills officer spotted the vehicle on I-90 traveling at high speeds at about 3:30 p.m. The officer began chasing the vehicle while other officers further ahead on I-90 prepared to put down tire-deflation devices, police say.

The Pacifica veered across three lanes of traffic and left the interstate at the Ohio 91 exit, where it struck two vehicles in the intersection of the off-ramp. There were no reported injuries from the crash, but the incident did cause traffic backups on I-90 and Ohio 91 for several hours.

The identities of the suspects have not been released, but police say they are being held pending charges.