06/17/2026
Vehicle Pursuit Following Disturbance Incident Leads to Arrest
Defiance, Ohio — On June 16, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m., officers with the Defiance Police Department were dispatched to a reported disturbance in the Hobby Lobby parking lot, located at 1500 North Clinton Street.
Multiple callers reported that a physical altercation had occurred involving several individuals. Witnesses indicated that fi****ms and a baseball bat had been brandished during the incident. Callers also provided a description of a vehicle involved, identified as a white Chevrolet Tahoe.
Upon arrival, officers were directed to a white SUV that had just fled the scene northbound. An officer quickly located a vehicle matching the description near the Speedway on North Clinton Street and initiated a traffic stop. The driver, later identified as Dominick Gomez, failed to comply.
The driver, who was operating the vehicle under an OVI-related license suspension, accelerated away from officers, initiating a pursuit. Speeds quickly escalated to approximately 80 miles per hour and continued to increase as the suspect traveled northbound, driving into oncoming lanes of traffic and disregarding traffic control signals, including a red light at North Clinton Street near the Kohl’s area.
Additional law enforcement units, including a deputy from the Defiance County Sheriff’s office, joined the pursuit as it continued out of the city. Speeds exceeded 100 miles per hour and at times approached 120 miles per hour as the suspect continued to pass vehicles in opposing lanes, creating a significant risk to the public.
The pursuit traveled through portions of State Route 66, State Route 6, and multiple county roads across Henry and Fulton Counties. As the suspect approached an intersection near the Fulton and Henry County line, coordinated efforts by Defiance Police, Defiance County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Patrol and Henry County Sheriff's Office, limited his ability to change direction.
At that point, a controlled maneuver was successfully utilized to stop the vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle was disabled, and he was taken into custody without further incident. No officers or civilians were injured during the pursuit.
This incident remains under investigation, including the initial disturbance reported in the Hobby Lobby parking lot.
Chief Frank Herbert
Defiance Police Department
