MANSFIELD, Ohio — The Mansfield police are investigating a police chase that ended in a deadly crash Wednesday night.
Officers first responded to a call about a fight involving three men in the 200 block of Sycamore Street around 8:30 p.m.
Investigators said during the fight, one of the men hit another man in the face with a tire iron and a possible suspect drove away from the area in a Chevrolet Silverado.
Officers later found the suspect's truck speeding down Bowman Street. The driver refused to stop and at one point, and police said the suspect "rammed" one of the Mansfield police cruisers.
Police chased the driver at a high rate of speed throughout the rural areas of Northern Richland County. The driver then crashed near Plymouth Springmill Road and Bistline Road.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the driver as 37-year-old Randy Heater Jr., of Mansfield. OSHP said Heater drove off the road and hit a guardrail.
The truck flipped and Heater, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Richland County Sheriff's Office, Shelby Police Department, and Plymouth Police Department also helped in responding to this situation.
A sergeant and two Mansfield officers were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Mansfield police are handling the investigation into the initial call about the fight and OSHP is investigating the crash.
