By Kimberly Pistone
For the Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY – A Shelby County Common Pleas jury found James W. Bridget, 31, of Southfield, Michigan, guilty to one count of failure to comply with order or signal of officer, additionally causing a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property, a third degree felony.
The State of Ohio was represented by William Zimmerman, Jr., and Bridget was represented by Laura Waymire.
Testimony lasted approximately 90 minutes, with only two witnesses called – both police officers who were involved in the chase on I-75 that began around mile marker 94 and ended at mile marker 156 in Hancock County, with speeds over 100 mph. Ultimately Bridget stopped when he ran over a stop stick that the police put out, causing a flat tire, which he drove until it began smoking.
Dash cam and the cam for the back seat of the police cruiser where Bridget was placed after he was arrested were shown during the trial. Cameras show Bridget was cooperative once he stopped, and the backseat camera shows Bridget admitting that he ran because he had a warrant for his arrest in Michigan and he didn’t want to get arrested.
The jury deliberated for 30 minutes before returning with their verdict of guilty. Bridget will be sentenced on Dec. 9.
