Chillicothe, Ohio — July 29, 2025
A brief police pursuit through the streets of Chillicothe ended in a crash Monday night, resulting in multiple charges against the driver and the involvement of several juveniles.
According to a report from the Chillicothe Police Department, an officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle traveling northbound on Watt Street without headlights or taillights just before 11 p.m. on July 28. The officer attempted to alert the driver to the issue, but the vehicle failed to respond. When the officer initiated a traffic stop as the car turned west onto East Main Street, the driver accelerated in an apparent attempt to flee.
The vehicle sped through several city streets — turning north onto North Brownell Street, then east on East Second Street — before losing control while trying to turn north onto North Watt Street. The car struck a fence at a residence on the 600 block of East Second Street, continued through the yard, and struck the fence again before heading west on Water Street. The pursuit ended when the vehicle became disabled shortly afterward.
Police conducted a felony stop and took the driver, Halaina Seward, into custody without further incident. She was charged with failure to comply, endangering children, and failure to control. After being read her Miranda rights, Seward told officers she fled because she was “scared of the police.”
The vehicle had four passengers at the time — all juveniles — whose names have been withheld. The front passenger was identified as a juvenile male, while the three backseat passengers were juvenile females. All were released to a guardian following the incident.
Road conditions were dry and traffic was light at the time of the pursuit, which reached speeds of up to 45 mph and lasted approximately half a mile. No injuries were reported. Damage to the fence at 653 East Second Street was photographed and documented by police.
Seward was transported to the Ross County Jail and is being held pending bond. The case has been referred for further investigation and possible juvenile court review for the passengers.
