Police: Man grabbed deputy's gun and cruiser
By George Lecky, Post staff  - found on 11-14-01

Cincinnati -A 32-year-old Bond Hill man, got into a "life and death struggle" 
with a sheriff's deputy early today, then grabbed the deputy's gun 
and stole his cruiser.

The man was arrested hours later after he barricaded himself in a
Bond Hill apartment.

Darrell A. Mann was arrested at about 5 a.m. after barricading himself
in an apartment on Faith Street (formerly known as Snowhill Drive) in
Bond Hill.

Mann drove the stolen cruiser - with police in pursuit - to the
neighborhood before running into an apartment, which is believed to
be his residence.

Mann surrendered more than two hours later after the Cincinnati
SWAT team surrounded the building.

A woman and three children who lived in the apartment were not
injured.

The trouble began after Hamilton County Patrol Officer Kevin Illing,
28, stopped Mann's vehicle just inside the city limits in the 6800 
block of Vinewood Avenue in Madisonville.

The deputy observed the car in Columbia Township traveling at
"excessive speed" and without tail lights, said Sheriff's
spokesman Stephen Barnett. 

The car stopped and Illing approached the vehicle and asked
the driver for identification, said Barnett.

The driver said he had no identification and Illing asked him
to get out of the car.

The driver appeared to be complying with the deputy's orders when 
he "took off running," said Barnett. 

Illing caught Mann and "a struggle ensued with the officer tried to
arrest him," said Barnett.

The two men fell to the ground and Illing attempted to spray a
chemical irritant on Mann, yelling at him to stop fighting, said 
Barnett.

Illing  pulled his gun and warned Mann to stop fighting or Illing 
would shoot, said Barnett.

Mann appeared to comply with the orders, and as Mann started
to reholster his gun, Mann grabbed it, said Barnett.

"At that point a lift and death struggle ensued" as the two men
wrestled, said Barnett.

The deputy "had his hand on the weapon" as Mann tried to grab it
away, Barnett said.

As Illing lay on the ground, he tried to get his arm up to fire at 
Mann. He fired two shots that missed, Barnett said.

Illing lost control of his gun and "immediately took cover" as Mann
ran to the cruiser and drove away.

Police chased Mann through parts of Cincinnati, including southbound
Interstate 71, the Norwood Lateral and Reading Road into Bond Hill.

Mann crashed the cruiser before bailing out.

Mann is expected to be charged today with felonious assault on a law
enforcement officer, escape, auto theft and fleeing and eluding.

At the time of his arrest he was wanted on numerous traffic charges
and a criminal charge of probation violation, said police.

Illing was not seriously injured.


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