Police officer crashes into Cleveland home during pursuit

A Willowick police officer and two others were taken to the hospital after a police cruiser crashed into a Cleveland home during a morning pursuit on Aug. 27. According to Willowick police, the pursuit started just before 4 a.m. after a smash and grab occurred at LoanMax, 34480 Vine St., in Eastlake.

The suspect vehicle was located by Eastlake officers traveling southbound on Route 91 toward Route 2. A Willowick police officer was at the top of the entrance ramp at East 305th Street and got involved with the chase.

The suspect made a sudden exit in Cleveland. The officer tried to follow, lost control and crashed into a home near the intersection of East 147th Street and Waterloo Road in the city.

Two people inside the home were transported to University Hospitals with minor injuries. The officer, Patrolman Don Slapnicker, was transported as a precautionary measure. Willowick Police Chief Brian Turner said Slapnicker was released from the hospital later in the morning and did not sustain any serious injuries.

In an interview around 1 p.m., Turner said that the two occupants of the home were also out of the hospital. They were on the

second floor of the home when the crash occurred, Turner said.

Slapnicker’s cruiser is “completely totaled,” Turner said. The chief said he had no issue with Slapnicker’s decision to pursue the suspect and help out a neighboring agency. Turner added that Northeast Ohio has seen a rash of smash and grabs and he doesn’t want to send a message that people can just drive away after committing these crimes.

Turner said they will be reviewing the dash cam footage, but the process is taking longer than usual due to the crash.

No arrests have been made in the smash and grab, Eastlake Police Chief Larry Reik said. The investigation is ongoing.

Slapnicker, who has been with the department for six years, is the same officer who was struck by a car Aug. 22 while responding to a report of attempted vehicle break-ins on Lakewick Lanes.

In that incident, the officer drove where the suspect car was parked turned on his overhead lights and approached the vehicle. Turner said the officer saw a person lying in the seat. The person started the vehicle and put it in reverse. As the suspect back into the cruiser he struck the officer in the knee. He not seriously injured.

No arrests have been made in that incident.

“Our best hope right now is that this stolen vehicle does get recovered and can be processed for any DNA/ touch DNA,” Turner previously told The News-Herald.