Columbus Local Pulse: High-Speed Chase, Major Fentanyl Bust, Crisis Care Expansion

Good morning, this is Columbus Local Pulse for Friday, February 27. We start with breaking news from our north side, where an 18-year-old driver led police on a wild chase early Thursday, hitting 130 miles per hour on Route 161 before slamming his Infiniti into a garage on Sharon Woods Boulevard, just blocks from Beechcroft High School. The Ohio State Highway Patrol says he was driving without lights, tried to flee on foot after the crash, but got caught thanks to their helicopter. No one inside the home was hurt, though homeowners Nicholas and Stella Asare described the shake-up as feeling like an earthquake. Hes now charged with failure to comply and held in Franklin County Jail. We are relieved everyone is safe and appreciate our troopers quick work. Shifting to public safety wins, the Central Ohio Drug Task Force made a massive bust this week in Madison County, seizing 44 pounds of fentanyl worth about 800,000 dollars, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Thats one of their biggest ever, involving Columbus police, the FBI, and others, with two people charged. It means less poison hitting our streets. From City Hall, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced a 1 million dollar push to expand our Alternative Crisis Response program, sending clinicians instead of cops to non-violent mental health calls. Announced at the Franklin County Crisis Care Center, it aims to hire more staff, reroute 911 dispatches, and cut unnecessary arrests so officers focus on real threats. This directly helps our daily lives by connecting folks to care, not jail. No major job shifts or real estate spikes today, but home values around Sharon Woods hold steady near 300,000 dollars median. Weather-wise, cloudy skies with highs in the low 40s and possible light flurries could dampen outdoor plans, but roads stay clear for events. Outlook stays chilly through Sunday. Beechcroft Highs basketball team notched a win last night, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Upcoming, catch the Short North Gallery Hop tomorrow evening for art and music vibes. For a feel-good note, community volunteers rallied to clean up Scioto Mile trails this week, making our riverfront shine. Stay safe out there, listeners. Thanks for tuning in to Columbus Local Pulse, and remember to subscribe. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Well see you tomorrow with more local updates. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.