A member of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation looks over a semi-truck that was highjacked from London, Ohio, and stopped near the Dayton International Airport early on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023.
Marshall Gorby/Dayton Daily News via AP
VANDALIA, Ohio — A man and woman who died after exchanging gunfire with Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers after a multi-county chase in stolen semi truck with a hostage that ended in Montgomery County have been identified.
Both suspects died at Miami Valley Hospital on Wednesday, according to OSHP. Montgomery County Coroner identified them as 54-year-old Rodney Helman and 51-year-old Elaine Helman.
The semi truck driver, who was held hostage, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital with minor injuries. Additional information on how the driver was injured was not available.
Body and dash camera footage from London police shows the traffic incident that led up to the chase and hostage hostage incident.
Around 1 a.m. Wednesday, a London police officer stopped a mini van with no rear lights or visible registration, according to the department.
The man and woman told officers they were on their way back from the hospital, according to body cam footage. They didn’t have IDs and were unable to provide their Social Security numbers.
The pair claimed the woman’s purse was stolen, which also had the man’s wallet inside, they said.
After giving the officer names, which did match the coroner’s identification, and an address, the pair drove off. They went to a truck stop and fled on foot before taking a semi truck without a trailer and an occupant inside, according to police.
They drove away in the semi truck, hitting a London police cruiser. No officers were injured.
OSHP and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded to join police in the chase, which went through Clark County.
Maximum speeds reached around 60 to 65 mph, Chief Glenn Nicol said Wednesday.
Around 3:32 a.m. the pursuit ended on Dayton International Airport Access Road between U.S. 40 and I-70, said OSHP Lt. Nathan Dennis. OSHP’s Special Response Team and members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office’s hostage and negotiation team used cellphones to speak to the suspects in an attempt to bring the incident to a peaceful end, he added.
About four hours later, troopers approached the semi truck to get the hostage. The suspects shot at the troopers, who returned fire, Dennis said. Both suspects were shot and removed to Miami Valley Hospital.
It is not clear how many shots were fired or how many troopers used their weapons. There were more than a dozen bullet holes in the windshield of the semi truck.
It’s also unknown if any of the troopers who fired their weapons are on leave as a result.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shootings, said Steve Irwin, a spokesperson for BCI.
