A traffic stop early Wednesday morning in Urbana led to a vehicle pursuit, foot chase, and multiple charges, including operating a vehicle under the influence.
According to a report from the Urbana Police Division, an officer on patrol around 12:53 a.m. March 4, a white Chevrolet Malibu made a sharp turn onto West Light Street from North Main Street, partially entering the oncoming lane. The vehicle then accelerated and continued through several streets, at one point running a stop sign at the intersection of Gwynne Street and North Oakland Avenue.
Police initiated a traffic stop in the 600 block of North Oakland Avenue. The vehicle initially hesitated before stopping in the 400 block of Mosgrove Street. As the officer approached on foot, the driver restarted the vehicle and fled, heading toward the 690 West Light Street apartment complex, which officers knew to be a cul-de-sac.
Officers secured the entrance and observed a male running through the apartment complex yards. After a brief foot pursuit, the suspect was located hiding underneath a vehicle. He complied with commands, was taken into custody, and identified as 43-year-old Ahmad Ali.
Dispatch advised that Ali had an active warrant out of Miami County for grand theft. Ali reportedly told officers he was aware of the warrant and ran because of it. Police also learned he was under a non-compliance driver’s license suspension.
The Chevrolet Malibu Ali had been driving was located parked on the east side of the apartment complex. The vehicle is registered to his wife, who told officers she was aware he was driving it. Police noted the rear driver-side window was smashed. Ali reportedly told officers he broke the window after locking his keys inside.
During a search of the vehicle, officers located an empty bottle of Tito’s vodka inside a brown paper bag, as well as a debit card belonging to his 16-year-old daughter. The vehicle was towed to the Urbana Police impound lot.
Due to the odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and traffic violations, Ali was administered standardized field sobriety tests at the police division. Ali later submitted to a breath test, which registered more than three times the legal limit in Ohio.
Ali was charged with OVI, resisting arrest, obstructing official business, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, open container, failure to obey traffic control devices, and driving under a non-compliance suspension. He was transported to the Tri-County Regional Jail.
The case has been filed in the Champaign County Municipal Court.
