Preliminary hearing set for several cases involving man who allegedly fled Salem traffic stop

LISBON -- A new date of Oct. 28 was set Monday for preliminary and pretrial hearings in multiple cases against a Salineville man with a history of charges for fleeing from police attempting to stop him, including for a recent attempted traffic stop in Salem.

Nathaniel L. Ford, 24, West Main Street, remains jailed under a $150,000 cash or surety bond, but also must serve some jail time after entering pleas in a case from 2023 and one from 2024.

Ford was fined $750 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for 16 days served, leaving 14 days still to serve for two separate cases for theft, disorderly conduct, drug paraphernalia and two counts of obstructing official business.

On May 31, 2024 in Salineville, police responded to a fight in progress near Dollar General involving Ford and he fled the scene in a vehicle. On Oct. 25, 2023, he stole a cooler from the Salineville water treatment plant containing a water sample for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and during a traffic stop of the suspect vehicle from the theft, he exited the vehicle and fled on foot and possessed a glass pipe with residue.

The preliminary/pretrial hearing on Oct. 28 will cover six separate cases in Columbiana County from 2024, 2025 and 2026, with the most recent occurring Sept. 19 in the Salem area for third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanors of failure to stop after an accident, driving under suspension, reckless operation and no seat belt for fleeing from multiple agencies.

According to an affidavit, an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop a red Kia for traffic violations on East Third Street in Salem. The driver fled, ended up crashing the car and then fled on foot in a wooded area and was later apprehended by the county sheriff's office.

He's also facing a fourth-degree felony charge of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer for allegedly fleeing from police on a dirt bike in Salineville while wanted on multiple arrest warrants on Aug. 5 this year.

Other charges include three counts of failure to comply, a third-degree felony and fifth-degree felony obstructing official business.

According to affidavits, he allegedly fled from Salineville police on a mini bike or dirt bike on June 6, 2024, Aug. 21, 2025 and Sept. 18, 2025 when he was a wanted fugitive.