A Columbus man spent part of his Christmas day in a local hospital and in police custody after leading authorities on a chase through Ironton streets.

Darren Wooden, 22, was charged Saturday with fleeing and eluding police officers and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

A witness contacted Ironton police just after 1 a.m. and reported suspicious activity near the American Legion hall on Quincy Street. The witness told police they were following the allegedly suspicious individual.

A pursuit ensued involving officers from Ironton, Coal Grove, Russell, Ky., and Wurtland Ky., police departments as well as Lawrence County Sheriff's deputies and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers.

Ironton police detective Jim Akers said the pursuit ended when Wooden crashed his vehicle while attempting to cross the Ironton-Russell bridge.

"Apparently he didn't make the turn there at the on-ramp and he struck the side of the bridge," Akers said. "Evidently he was going too fast and didn't make the turn."

Akers said Wooden was first taken to the Lawrence County jail but then later transported by South East Ohio Emergency Medical Services to Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in Russell, Ky., where he was treated and released.