YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Reports said a man being chased Saturday afternoon jumped into the Mahoning River in an attempt to get away and almost drowned.
Kimani Johnson, 32, of Youngstown, is expected to be arraigned later Monday in municipal court on charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm, both third-degree felonies. He is also charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony; and several misdemeanor drug counts.
Additionally, Johnson is also wanted on three warrants.
Also arrested was a passenger, Antwan Fields, who was wanted on warrants of his own as well as a second-degree misdemeanor charge of obstructing official business.
Reports said police tried to pull over a car Johnson was driving at about 4:25 p.m. Saturday at Falls Avenue and Thorn Street for speeding. The car stopped and an officer approached it, but the driver drove away at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour, reports said.
Reports said the car got on Interstate 680 north, collided with another car, and then collided with the concrete median and stopped. Johnson and Fields both ran away toward the Salt Springs Road exit.
Fields was caught at the bottom of a hill, but Johnson jumped into the river and tried to swim away, reports said. Police tried to talk him out after he said he couldn’t swim, but Johnson grabbed a log and tried to get away, reports said.
Three officers jumped into the river to get him as Johnson struggled to stay above water, but he somehow made it to the opposite bank where an officer who was waiting took him into custody.
Inside the car Johnson was driving, reports said police found 16 pills and a loaded .45-caliber handgun that was reported stolen earlier this year in Youngstown.
