CINCINNATI — Police have arrested a man who crashed into a liquor store, stole a bottle of bourbon and fled from police, causing all northbound lanes of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, also known as the Big Mac Bridge, to be closed for a short time on Wednesday, according to the Bellevue Police Department.
Bellevue police were dispatched to an alarm at One Stop Liquors on Donnermeyer Drive around 3:30 a.m. When they arrived, officers found heavy damage to the building.
"The sound of glass, it triggers the alarms. So I knew right then and there I had to come down," said Whitney Frommeyer, one of the co-owners of the liquor store.
According to a social media post from Bellevue police, surveillance video showed McClean Morris driving a large sedan into the front of the building, getting out of the car, and going in to steal a bottle of cinnamon bourbon. Morris then sat outside drinking the bourbon before leaving the scene.
"The first thing, I think, that went through my mind was, man, I hope they catch this guy," Frommeyer said. "I mean, that's always the first thing you want, for them to catch them. The second thing that went through my mind was, man this is going to take a lot to clean up, because it usually does."
Security camera footage showed Morris using his car to ram into the front doors multiple times. Eventually, he climbs into the store and takes bottles of alcohol. Security footage showed Morris drinking the liquor in the front seat of the vehicle.
Watch the security camera footage below:
Frommeyer told WCPO her business is working with their insurance to get the front of the store repaired and thankful their customers are still visiting the store.
"You know, we’ll stay open, we just hope the community still supports us, that’s all we ask. You know, we love our customers and we love being here, and still we opened at 7 a.m. this morning like we always do, so that’s our goal," said Frommeyer.
Fort Thomas, Dayton, and Newport police were able to identify Morris from his prior arrest. They went to Morris's address, where officers discovered he was not home. While speaking with neighbors, the Facebook post states that Morris was seen on Lafayette Avenue near Division Street in a stolen vehicle.
When officers arrived, they told Morris to exit the car, but he refused. Morris drove off, ramming into a Newport police cruiser and reversing the vehicle into other cars before driving towards several officers, forcing them to take cover, according to the social media post.
Learn more about the police chase below:
Morris then drove through a neighborhood on the sidewalk before heading north on Washington. Police chased Morris onto the Big Mac Bridge, where Morris stopped the car and shouted profanities at officers, continuing to refuse to exit the vehicle. Police had to close all northbound lanes of the bridge.
Multiple police cars were seen on the bridge around 5:30 a.m. behind a black sedan. The bridge reopened about 15 minutes after the shutdown when Morris fled again.
Stop sticks were used, but Morris drove away at a slow speed.
The Cincinnati Police Department stopped Morris on East 3rd Street and Broadway, and police from Northern Kentucky arrested him.
Watch as police investigate at the scene downtown below:
The black sedan Morris was driving was reported stolen in Cincinnati.
Morris is facing several charges, including burglary, criminal mischief, wanton endangerment of a police officer and civilian, fleeing and evading police, receiving stolen property, and leaving the scene of an accident.
Watch Live:
