A Mercer County man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in connection with a high-speed chase that began and ended in St. Marys last month.
Taylor R. Fortener, 19, of Coldwater, pleaded guilty to two charges in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court: one count of fleeing and eluding, a third-degree felony, and one count of corrupting another with drugs, a fourth-degree felony. He was originally indicted on a third count, a third-degree felony tampering with evidence charge, but this charge will be dismissed upon sentencing.
On June 5, Fortener and a male juvenile were apprehended by authorities after an approximately 30-minute pursuit reaching speeds of 110 mph. Fortener was the driver of the vehicle, a 2004 Chevrolet sedan. The chase began in St. Marys, continued west along state Route 29 into Celina and then ended up back in St. Marys, where both were apprehended.
Judge Frederick Pepple ordered a pre-sentence investigation be completed prior to sentencing. He also ordered Fortener’s $150,000 bond with a 10 percent cash provision be continued. A sentencing hearing has not been set yet. Fortener could face a maximum of 54 months in prison, a max fine of $15,000 and an operator’s license suspension of three years up to life.
See Wednesday's paper for the full story.