After visiting Judge Thomas Hanna sent a case against a Middletown man charged with numerous crimes to a Butler County grand jury, he lowered the man’s bond.
Christopher L. Spicer, 22, was represented by Richard Hyde during his preliminary hearing Friday in Middletown Municipal Court. Hyde argued that Spicer’s bond should be “more reasonable.”
Hanna then lowered the cash/surety/property bond from $750,000 to $500,000.
Spicer was charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, drug abuse, aggravated trafficking in drugs, having weapons under disability, fleeing or eluding, driving under suspension, obedience to traffic control devices, fictitious license plates and reckless operation after he led Middletown police on a high-speed chase that ended in a serious crash.
The pursuit started around 1:30 p.m. March 16 after Middletown police tried to pull over Spicer, believed to be associated with a homicide suspect, in the Auto Zone parking lot, 1735 Central Ave., Middletown police officer Adam Cox testified Friday morning.
The vehicle backed up, striking a marked patrol unit, and then fled at a high rate of speed eastbound on Central Avenue, according to Police Chief David Birk.
Spicer then ran several red lights and drove left-of-center into oncoming traffic through “several major and highly traveled roadways” in the city before a crash occurred as a result of the fleeing vehicle’s reckless operation and disregard for traffic control devices at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Jackson Lane, Birk said.
At one time, Spicer was traveling an estimated 90 mph in a 45 mph zone on Roosevelt Boulevard, Cox testified. The officer testified he was driving 90 mph and Spicer was driving at least that fast.
When Spicer ran a red light at Roosevelt and Jackson, at least his third red-light violation, his vehicle, a reported stolen 2022 Ford F-150, struck a Dodge Charger that was traveling northbound in the intersection.
Officers located a loaded AK-47, about 27 grams of suspected fentanyl and $3,000 in cash in Spicer’s vehicle, Cox testified. Spicer had been previously convicted of a possession of heroin charge, disqualifying him from possessing a firearm.
Two occupants in the Charger were transported to Atrium with serious injuries, according to the report. Cox said the two people were treated and released from the hospital.
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