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Robert Charles Hunter

Age : 37

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 04/05/2022

Location : Raiders Road near North Dresden Road

City : Trinway area

County : Muskingum

State : Ohio

Agency : Frazeysburg Police Department

Officer(s) :Eli Bourne

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Driver killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: Frazeysburg Police Chief Eli Bourne began following Hunter’s 1998 Acura after conducting a routine license-plate check. Hunter pulled into a gas-station parking lot, returned to the roadway and accelerated away. The later Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office account does not identify a separate underlying criminal offense that prompted the pursuit.
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/05/2022, 37-year-old Robert Hunter of Newark, Ohio, was killed when the 1998 Acura he was driving crashed during a Frazeysburg Police Department pursuit on Raiders Road near North Dresden Road in Muskingum County. His 25-year-old passenger, Brittany Belcher of Newark, survived.
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Frazeysburg Police Chief Eli Bourne conducted a routine license-plate check on Hunter’s vehicle and followed it a short distance. Hunter pulled into a gas-station parking lot, then returned to the roadway and accelerated to more than 55 mph in a 25-mph zone. Bourne continued pursuing the Acura.
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The pursuit continued onto Raiders Road. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, the Acura reached speeds exceeding 110 mph and passed other vehicles in no-passing zones. Contemporary Ohio State Highway Patrol reporting described the encounter as a short pursuit.
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As the vehicles approached the intersection with North Dresden Road, Bourne knew a sharp curve was ahead and slowed his police vehicle. The Acura continued into the curve, went left of center, struck an embankment and became airborne. Hunter and Belcher were both ejected through the vehicle’s windows.
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Both occupants were transported to Genesis Hospital in Zanesville. Hunter died from his injuries. Belcher survived.
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The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated the fatal crash. Sgt. Jeff Jirles initially confirmed only that Frazeysburg police had been pursuing a 1998 Acura immediately before the crash and said the occupants’ identities would be released later. That early reporting is why the original FARS-based case remained unidentified.
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The later criminal case involving Belcher finally established Hunter’s identity and the pursuing officer’s identity. The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office said Belcher admitted encouraging Hunter to continue driving away from police because she did not want him to go to jail. She subsequently pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced in June 2022 to three to four-and-a-half years in prison.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Frazeysburg Police Chief Eli Bourne initiated and continued the pursuit. Bourne was not merely the department chief at the time; the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office specifically identified him as the officer who conducted the license-plate check, followed Hunter’s vehicle and pursued it onto Raiders Road. The prosecutor’s account states Bourne slowed before the sharp curve at Dresden Road immediately before Hunter crashed.
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SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.muskingumprosecutor.org/News-Events/Newark-Woman-Sentenced-To-Prison-For-Man-S-Death/17/
https://ycitynews.com/24158/news/man-dies-following-police-pursuit/
https://news.yahoo.com/oshp-investigating-fatal-crash-near-205207338.html