Moraine man sought in store theft in Warren County is arrested after pursuit, foot chase

FRANKLIN — A Moraine man is on his way to jail after he prompted a police pursuit, rammed several vehicles in an attempt to avoid arrest and then ran before he was apprehended Friday afternoon.

Robert Anthony Cochran, 35, has been taken to a hospital and then he’ll be booked into the Warren County Jail on several charges including fleeing and eluding as well as felonious assault with his vehicle, Franklin Police Chief Russell Whitman said.

Police were dispatched to Walmart about 2:25 p.m. on a report of a theft in progress, Whitman said.

The suspect left in a small green Jeep Liberty toward Springboro, with an unmarked police vehicle beginning a pursuit on Second Street in Franklin, the chief said. Marked police vehicles caught up, but the suspect vehicle did not stop for lights and siren.

The suspect vehicle fled back into Franklin on Second Street and the pursuit continued west -- at one point headed the wrong way on South Main Street. The pursuit continued east on Third Street , then north on Riley Boulevard.

The suspect vehicle went left of center in an attempt to get through traffic and then to the right to squeeze through more stopped traffic at Second Street. The suspect vehicle rammed several cars trying to push through but was unsuccessful.

The driver got out and ran, but police apprehended him behind a Speedway.

EMS personnel checked out one person at the scene.

Cochran’s criminal history includes as many as two animal cruelty convictions.

In 2015, He was accused of shooting to death a pit bull at his home in 2015 and trying to discard the animal with the garbage.

In 2012, Cochran was convicted stemming from the discovery of an injured cat and a dog carcass found his home freezer. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, which was suspended on the condition that he stay away from animals for a year.

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