A man who led law enforcement on a chase through two counties received a prison sentence Monday.
Eric J. Turner, 46, was sentenced to 47 months in prison stemming from a Jan. 1 chase with law enforcement that started in Clark County and ended in Champaign County.
On that date, Turner was pulled over by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper in Springfield for traveling 51 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. Turner sped off when asked for identification.
A sentencing memorandum filed by Champaign County Assistant Prosecutor Samantha Whetherholt states Turner’s pursuit with law enforcement lasted 45 minutes and covered 17 miles during which Turner committed multiple traffic violations including running stop signs and stop lights and driving left of center.
The memorandum states that as troopers attempted a rolling road block, Turner drove into a trooper’s cruiser twice, forcing them to disengage from the road block. He also swerved into another cruiser when motioned to pull over.
The memorandum also states Turner continued the pursuit after a tire on his vehicle was deflated by stop sticks and traveled at 20 to 25 miles per hour. Prior to having his tire deflated, Turner was traveling between 35 and 45 miles per hour.
Turner pleaded guilty to one count each of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them, and aggravated possession of drugs on April 17.
At the time of the offense, Turner was on community control from a 2015 theft case in the Champaign County Common Pleas Court. After pleading guilty to a fifth degree felony theft charge in October 2015, Turner was placed on community control for a period of two years in November 2015.
Following this year’s chase with law enforcement, Turner was charged with multiple violations of community control. After he was found guilty of the alleged violation, community control was revoked on Jan. 26 and Turner was sentenced to 11 months in prison.
During Monday’s hearing, the court ordered for Turner’s 47 month sentence to be served consecutively with the 11 month sentence making for a total of 58 months in prison Turner is ordered to serve.
In addition to the prison sentence, Turner was fined $2,250 and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $26,897.41, to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Upon his release, Turner is subject to post-release control for a period of up to three years.
