A routine garbage pickup in Ohio took an unexpected turn earlier this week when a sanitation worker found a man who was fleeing from police hiding inside a trash bin.
The pursuit began around 12:40 p.m. on Feb. 23, when the suspect, identified as Jonathan McMillan, was pulled over for a turn signal violation on Powell Road west of Old Troy Pike, Lt. Brad Reaman of the Huber Heights Police Division (HHPD) told NTD via email on Wednesday.
"Suspect parked his vehicle at his house, ran through the front and then back door and then to a trashcan on the side of the road on Fisher just north of Powell Rd.," Reaman shared.
The suspect was later discovered by the sanitation worker near his home, a moment that was captured on police dash cam.
In the footage, the waste collector can be seen rolling the trash can toward the garbage truck. After lifting the lid, he appears startled and frantically points at the bin to alert a police cruiser parked a short distance behind the truck.
McMillan then climbs out of the trash can and takes off running down the street, with an officer in close pursuit.
"As luck would have it, 'Oscar the Grouch'—as we’ve nicknamed our suspect—appeared at just the right place and the right time," the department said.
"Thanks to the impressive athletic ability and swift response of our very own Officer Perez, the suspect was safely apprehended."
McMillan was taken into custody without anyone being injured. He had an outstanding warrant from Miami County and was arrested on that warrant, as well as on charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest, Reaman said.
HHPD's dash cam video has since gone viral online, garnering more than 1.4 million views on Facebook alone. The footage was also reshared across other platforms, sparking amusing reactions from many social media users.
"He would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for that meddling trash man!" another added.
"Imagine what could have happened if he didnt open the lid and let the trash truck pour him out into the back," a third person shared. "Things could have ended very differently."