LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — A Lorain man who led law enforcement on a nine-hour manhunt in March has been indicted by a Lorain County grand jury on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.
James Douglas Meadows, 37, was indicted on May 30 on charges that include escape, tampering with evidence, assault on a peace officer, obstruction of official business, and possession of cocaine. He also faces misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and obstruction. The case is assigned to Judge Melissa Kobasher in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
The indictment follows a high-profile search that took place on March 27 after Meadows allegedly fled from authorities attempting to arrest him on a warrant related to a reported assault on two Sheffield Village police officers. According to prior reports, the initial altercation occurred on March 22 when officers attempted to detain Meadows during a traffic stop. He reportedly resisted, struggled with officers, and escaped on foot with one handcuff still attached.
Days later, U.S. Marshals located Meadows at a gas station in Elyria. When they attempted to take him into custody, officials said Meadows tried to flee in a vehicle and allegedly attempted to strike law enforcement before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot again.
The manhunt that followed lasted most of the day and involved numerous agencies, including the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Elyria Police Department, Lorain Police Department, Oberlin Police Department, South Amherst Police Department, and U.S. Border Patrol. The search was concentrated in the wooded area near Russia Road west of Route 58 in New Russia Township and involved drones, K-9 teams, and aerial units.
The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office issued a shelter-in-place order for residents in the immediate area. That order was lifted later in the afternoon. Meadows was ultimately apprehended that same day without further incident and has remained in custody since.
He is currently being held at the Lorain County Jail on a $100,000 bond. A future court date has not yet been scheduled according to available court records.