WILLIAMPORT, OH — A 45-minute pursuit across Pickaway and Fairfield counties ended in a cornfield Friday evening after a driver in a stolen pickup truck attempted to ram deputies off the road and fled on bare metal rims before being brought to a stop.
James Picklesimer, 43, was arrested and faces multiple felony charges following the multi-jurisdictional chase, which began around 6:30 p.m. on September 17.
According to law enforcement reports, the incident began when the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance in locating a stolen red Toyota Tacoma traveling toward Pickaway County. Pickaway County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the stolen vehicle in the Williamsport area and attempted to initiate a traffic stop on State Route 22.
Picklesimer refused to pull over, accelerating to speeds exceeding 100 mph. During the initial leg of the pursuit, deputies attempted to box in the pickup, but Picklesimer aggressively swerved, attempting to run responding cruisers off the roadway.
As the chase approached the intersection of State Route 22 and State Route 56, a waiting deputy successfully deployed spike strips, deflating both passenger-side tires. Despite the damage, Picklesimer continued fleeing into Circleville via Main Street, where the Circleville Police Department joined the pursuit.
The vehicle continued eastbound on SR-22 toward Fairfield County. By this point, both passenger tires had completely disintegrated off the rims, but the suspect maintained speeds over 50 mph on bare metal.
Upon crossing into Fairfield County, Picklesimer encountered a construction zone on SR-22, prompting him to make a U-turn and head back into Pickaway County. He drove through Circleville a second time before heading west on SR-22 back toward Williamsport.
With an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter tracking the vehicle from above, officers executed a PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver near Williamsport. The maneuver forced the Tacoma off the roadway and into an adjacent cornfield, bringing the 45-minute chase to an end. Picklesimer surrendered to officers at the scene without further incident.
Picklesimer faces a long list of charges, including:
- Felonious Assault on a Peace Officer (multiple counts)
- Receiving Stolen Property
- Failure to Comply with an Order or Signal of a Police Officer
- Probation Violation
- Reckless Operation and Marked Lanes Violations
Court records indicate Picklesimer has an extensive criminal history in the region, including a recent OVI charge earlier this year. He was transported to the Pickaway County Jail, where he is being held pending arraignment.
