CHILLICOTHE, OH — A localized cold front moved through the Speedway on North Bridge Street early Sunday morning, but it had nothing to do with the September weather.
According to a report from the Chillicothe Police Department, Officer Shelby Lott was flagged down around 4:40 a.m. at 10 N. Bridge Street regarding a theft in progress.
Upon arrival, Officer Lott spoke with store employee Stephanie Castle and witness Gary Haynie. The pair reported that a man, identified by police as Ralph Hawk, had just snatched a $6.49 bag of ice from the gas station before making a chilly getaway down the alley northbound toward McDonald’s.
Police noted that Hawk isn’t exactly a stranger to the local gas station—he had previously been officially barred from the Speedway property.
Officers patrolled the surrounding alleyways and neighborhoods searching for Hawk, but he managed to melt into the early morning darkness with his frozen loot before police could locate him.
Speedway management confirmed they intend to press charges once store managers extract the security camera footage. The frosty investigation remains ongoing while police wait to review the video.
