Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden announces that on Saturday, August 30th, during the late evening hours, deputies were conducting criminal interdiction on Interstate 70 observing east bound traffic. Deputies observed a Mercedes sedan pass by them traveling eastbound at a very high rate of speed. The Mecedes exited off the Interstate at milepost 178, failed to negotiate the turn, and ultimately crashed, causing disabling damage to the vehicle. Deputies approached the vehicle, which was now unoccupied, and heard individuals running through the woods towards Dozer Road.
Deputies acted swiftly in a coordinated effort to locate the fleeing individuals with their Air Support Unit, K9 Unit, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Cambridge Police Department. A total of four Venezuelan individuals were located and apprehended hiding in the heavily wooded area. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) responded to the incident where it was confirmed that the apprehended individuals did not have legal status in the United States. A U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer was filed on the individuals, and a short time later ICE Agents took custody of the subjects.
Sheriff Paden has further issued the following statement. “The Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office is committed in the relentless pursuit of criminal interdiction. Any individual that my Deputies come into contact with who are in this country illegally and eligible for Federal Agents to take custody of, will be done so without hesitation.”
