Break-in thwarted by armed homeowner leading to all-day manhunt & arrest

DELAWARE, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — An attempted burglary turned into a manhunt after a Delaware County homeowner fired shots at the suspect. Deputies arrested Cody Marquette, 27, after searching for hours in rural Delaware County Tuesday.

Marquette is suspected of breaking into several homes along Carter's Corner Road Tuesday. Investigators say one homeowner saw him leaving his garage carrying items, and tried to shoot at nearby trash cans to scare him away. It turned out the homeowner shot the burglary's getaway vehicle, hitting the radiator and disabling it. That's when the suspect had to take off on foot.

The homeowner who interrupted the burglary called 911 immediately, reporting the shooting and describing the suspect as a large man with a black coat and hood. "He looked huge, he looked like a (expletive) monster, excuse my language. I mean huge, he looked like a bear," the homeowner said.

Marquette was found shortly before 6:00 p.m. when a passerby tipped off deputies.

As the suspect was trying to get away, in what the sheriff's office says is a stolen van from Columbus, he got stuck in a ditch.

The sheriff's office recovered several items believed to be stolen in the van. Deputies say the items may have been stolen from at least two others homes.