Mich. man arrested after county manhunt

VW independent/submitted information

A Michigan man faces felony charges following a motor vehicle crash and manhunt that occurred over several hours Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach noted that Timothy Allerton, 41, of Berrien Springs, Michigan, was arrested at 8:39 a.m. Wednesday on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, and breaking and entering, a felony of the fifth degree. 

Sheriff Riggenbach said his office received a 9-1-1 call at 7:55 p.m. Tuesday about a vehicle that had driven into a ditch and was driving away from the accident scene. Deputies responded and began looking for the vehicle, finding it at a nearby residence. However, the driver, Allerton, was not found with the vehicle.

At 10:40 p.m., the sheriff’s office received another 9-1-1 call that a person had stolen a vehicle from the caller’s residence.

The second reportedly stolen vehicle was later located, but Allerton had apparently fled on foot. Deputies and K-9 Ellie continued to search for Allerton, with assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and one of its air units, but came up empty.

At 7:24 a.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office received another call that someone had broken into a business near U.S. 30 in Washington Township. A third 9-1-1 call reported that a person was seen running across U.S. 30, and then jumped a fence on the north side of the highway and ran into a field.

Deputies responded and received additional information from nearby workers that confirmed Allerton’s identity, and Sheriff’s Office K-9 Kane was deployed in the area and located Allerton hiding under a pine tree on the south side of U.S. 30. He was then taken into custody without further incident.

Allerton was transported to the Van Wert County Correctional Facility and will remain in custody until his initial appearance in Van Wert Municipal Court.

Sheriff Riggenbach said the incident remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed.