CELINA, Ohio -- Police in Celina said a man is facing multiple charges in connection with the theft of diesel fuel from a local business.

The fuel was stolen early Wednesday morning at Piper Trucking on South Sugar Street at 1:27 a.m.

Officers said Scott Spears, 20, was arrested Wednesday night.

Investigators said a patrol officer approached the scene on foot and observed the suspect getting into a pickup truck and start to leave the scene. The officer then ordered Spears to stop, but the truck accelerated rapidly and fled, driving through a yard.

Police said a second Celina officer in a cruiser pursued the suspect a short distance before Spears responded to the emergency lights and siren and pulled over at the intersection of Sugar and Main streets.

Officers said they found a large tank in the back of the truck and other equipment for transferring fuel from one tank to another. Spears told the officer that he was taking fuel that was not his. He was then taken into custody and is being held in the Mercer County Jail.

According to police, there was more than 67 gallons of diesel fuel in the storage tank that was in the back of Spears’ truck. He was charged with theft, possession of criminal tools, criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

Spears pleaded not guilty during a court appearance ion Celina Municipal Court on Wednesday afternoon.