Toledo police quiet on Marcy Kaptur hit-and-run suspect

Toledo police are remaining tight-lipped about the driver of a vehicle who crashed into a car with Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur on Aug. 2, then apparently fled the scene.

WTOL-TV reported that authorities initially said they were looking for a man in his 20s. According to the report, the investigators believe the man was speeding — apparently in a stolen silver sedan he didn’t own — on a wet road at the intersection of North Detroit and Highland avenues when he crashed into a black Ford Bronco.

Kaptur was the passenger in the car driven by her campaign manager, Kegan Zimmermann.

According to the bodycam footage, a witness gave police a description of the suspect, who apparently fled the scene in a white SUV. However, the witness’s audio of the description appears to have been redacted from the bodycam footage published by WTVG-TV/13 Action News.

Later, according to the bodycam footage, police seemingly described the suspect as a younger black male with dreadlocks whose face was “all f—ed up.”

“The longer you stay out there and the longer we have to look for you, the worse it gets for you,” Toledo police Chief Michael Troendle said, WTOL reported.

Ironically, the crash occurred shortly before city leaders considered adding Flock cameras. While police in various jurisdictions have credited the cameras for helping to solve crimes, they have been controversial in communities across Ohio and the country.

“I understand that it’s a tool being used for public safety. However, considering the other uses of the Flock cameras, I think that we need to take a step back and really analyze this company,” council member Brittany Jones said, according to WTVG-TV/13 Action News. “The issue is with the company.”

Yet, in an era when so much of daily life is caught on camera, police seem to have no video evidence, or at least none they want to share.

WTOL reported that while Toledo has experienced fewer homicides, robberies and thefts from motor vehicles during the first half of 2026 than in the first half of 2025, the city has seen upticks in people shot, auto thefts and burglaries.

“We’ve made progress, but our work isn’t finished,” Troendle said in a release. “We’ll be back out there tomorrow doing what we do every day to keep our community safe.”

Sgt. Mohamad Nasser, the Toledo Police Department’s public information officer, has not confirmed any further details about the investigation, including whether police have any additional footage of the suspect. Additionally, it is unclear what evidence, such as fingerprints, police might have recovered from the suspect’s car or what requests Kaptur’s office made specific to the investigation.

Kaptur’s office has not responded to previous requests for comment from Ohio.News.

Kaptur, who has served in Congress since 1983, faces a tough re-election in November. She has faced questions about her votes and campaign donations, including from a pro-transgender PAC.

Republicans are throwing their support and resources behind her opponent, Derek Merrin. The National Republican Congressional Committee has added Merrin, a President Donald Trump-endorsed former state representative from Lucas County, to its “MAGA Majority” program.

In an interview with The Blade newspaper in Toledo, Kaptur, who spent five days at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center, said she did not break any bones but had cuts and marks caused by the car’s seatbelt and airbags. Scans, she insisted, revealed that “everything’s OK,” and Kaptur was slated to undergo rehab.