Crawford County suspect accused of stealing police cruiser taken into custody

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — A Crawford County man is behind bars after stealing a sheriff’s cruiser Wednesday afternoon, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were on South East St., in Bucyrus serving a protection order to 28-year-old Dehlen Hyden. Hyden was served the court paperwork and was informed that he had to leave the residence. He responded by pulling out a knife and threatened to harm himself. Bucyrus Police Department and Deputies responded to the scene and Hyden was taken into custody. Hyden did inflict harm to his arm with the knife before being taken in custody.

He was placed into the back seat of a Sheriff’s cruiser and while officers were finishing up the call, Hyden was able to bring his cuffed hands from behind his back, to the front and climbed through a window in the partition and fled the scene in the Sheriff’s cruiser.

Bucyrus Police Department pursued Hyden and lost sight of the vehicle. Information of the incident was sent out to all surrounding law enforcement to be on the look out for the stolen cruiser.

A Wyandot County Deputy Sheriff spotted the cruiser behind an abandoned meat packing facility in the village of Wyandot. Sheriffs and Deputies from Wyandot, Crawford, Marion and the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to the area.

Hyden was located on the roof of the meat packing facility and taken into custody without further incident.

Hyden was booked into the Crawford County Justice Center for Theft of a Motor Vehicle. Additional charges could be issued against Hyden when the case is reviewed by a grand jury.