A marked Lucas County Sheriff’s Office cruiser dropped off for maintenance was allegedly driven by a 22-year-old repair-shop employee in a high-speed run alongside another vehicle on Sept. 8. A witness recorded the incident at Monroe and Collingwood and reported it to authorities. Detectives traced the cruiser back to the shop; the employee, identified as Matthew Means, admitted driving and was charged with unauthorized use on Sept. 15. No injuries were reported, and the repair shop cooperated with investigators.
Mechanic Allegedly Took Sheriff’s Cruiser on Unauthorized Drag Race; Video Captures High-Speed Run
Image Credit: WTVG / YouTube.
A marked Lucas County Sheriff’s Office cruiser that had been dropped off for routine maintenance in Toledo was allegedly driven by a repair-shop employee in a high-speed run alongside another vehicle. A witness recorded the incident on video and reported it to authorities, prompting an investigation.
What Happened
On Sept. 8, a motorist on Monroe Street spotted a marked sheriff’s cruiser lined up next to another vehicle at the traffic signal at Monroe and Collingwood. The witness had already observed the other car being driven recklessly and initially assumed a deputy was about to intervene. When the light turned green, both cars accelerated rapidly; the witness recorded the sequence and later filed a complaint with the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigation and Charges
Detectives reviewed the video, followed the cruiser back to the repair shop where it had been left for service hours earlier, and identified a 22-year-old employee as the driver. The employee, identified by local station 13 Action News as Matthew Means, allegedly admitted to driving the cruiser during a test run. Charging documents cite his admission along with the video and witness statements.
“Unfortunately it was one of their youngest repair techs,”
Capt. Robert Chromik told 13 Action News, calling the decision a “very poor choice.” He added a sharper metaphor:
“Qualifying laps on Monroe Street like it was Talladega.”
Aftermath and Official Response
Means was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle on Sept. 15 and was issued a summons to appear in court; he was not booked into jail. The case was continued to Sept. 25. No injuries were reported.
The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office said the repair shop cooperated with investigators and handled the matter internally. In a Facebook post aimed at repair-shop staff, the department warned that receiving a marked unit for maintenance was not an invitation to “spiritually transform into Ricky Bobby,” and the agency noted the public-recorded footage was dubbed “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Exhibit A.”
Investigators also identified the owner of the second vehicle, though it had not been established who was driving that car at the time of the alleged race.
Safety Note
Capt. Chromik emphasized the danger posed by the alleged run because it occurred on a stretch of Monroe Street near the Toledo Museum of Art, an area frequented by pedestrians and children.
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