On April 7, 2001, according to testimony in Hamilton County Municipal Court:
Two off-duty Cincinnati Police officers working late-night security at the Warehouse bar, 1313 Vine St., spotted 19-year-old Timothy Thomas on the street. They knew he was wanted on 14 outstanding warrants, most were traffic offenses. Thomas recognized one of the officers and ran.
“I’m chasing a Black man, about 6 feet tall, wearing a red bandana and an Indy 500 jacket, Officer David Damico radioed a dispatcher.
A dozen officers joined the chase down streets and alleys. Officer Stephen Roach, driving south on Republic Street, saw Thomas jumping a fence. He ran from his squad car and confronted Thomas in an alley behind 1224 Republic.