HAMILTON — A park shelter used by children with disabilities was destroyed this week after a suspect in a stolen truck crashed into it.

Around 6:45 a.m. Monday, an on-duty Hamilton police officer spotted a 2002 Ford F-150 driving recklessly through Crawford Woods on Hancock Avenue.

“The defendant came toward (the officer) in a manner that was nearly head on and driving in excess of 60 mph,” the police report states.

The driver of the truck — John M. Fackey, 18, of Bonacker Avenue in Hamilton — reportedly swerved to avoid hitting the police cruiser and crashed into a park shelter owned by Butler County Challenger Baseball, an organization serving children and young adults with special needs.

The structure collapsed and Fackey was apprehended on foot by a K9 unit from West Chester Twp. The suspect is in Butler County Jail on a charge of receiving stolen property.

Sgt. Douglas Lanier of Fairfield Twp. police said the truck was stolen from outside a home on Canastota Drive in Fairfield Twp. Lanier said six vehicles were reported broken into early Monday along Canastota and Glenmont drives.

Lanier said a bag of stolen items was recovered from inside the truck including GPS devices, a camera and jewelry. He said all items will be returned to the victims.

“Take your valuables out of cars; this is a common crime in every community,” Lanier said.

Alan Lakamp, president of Butler County Challenger Baseball, said the park shelter was worth $8,000. A Cincinnati-based company has already offered to rebuild the shelter at no cost.

“He totally destroyed the shelter,” Lakamp said. “We will definitely rebuild it.”

Lakamp said the baseball league serves about 140 children and young adults ranging in age 5-22 with Individualized Education Programs for disabilities such as Down syndrome and Autism.

“These kids really rely on this shelter because after they play they go with a drink box and snack and rest,” Lakamp said. “It’s a moot point now because they have no place to go.”

Lanier said a 16-year-old boy from Fairfield Twp. was also arrested in the incident. He was taken to Butler County Juvenile Justice Center on a probation violation.

Fackey will appear in Hamilton Municipal Court July 17 for a preliminary hearing. He also faces misdemeanor traffic charges including stopping after accident and operating in willful disregard of safety of others, according to court records.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2179 or Hannah.Poturalski@coxinc.com.