Bluffton's Chase bank was the scene of a robbery this morning (Oct. 21). A statement from Rick Skilliter, Bluffton police chief, explains that a suspect has been arrested.

Skilliter's report follows:

At 8:56 a.m. today a lone white male entered the Chase Bank, 135 S. Main St., Bluffton,  and presented tellers with a note that threatened an explosion if his demand for money was not met. A teller complied with the demand and turned over an undisclosed amount of money. The man fled from the bank.

Very observant tellers were able to provide Allen County Sheriff’s 911 dispatchers with a good vehicle description. That description was relayed to area law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout.

At 9:09 a.m., Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers observed a similar vehicle approaching the Findlay area on Interstate 75. A traffic stop was initiated, but the vehicle fled officers.  After a short pursuit, the driver pulled over and exited his vehicle.

The driver did ignite a small fire, causing superficial burns to himself. The man was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment and released to Sheriff’s Deputies for transport to the Allen County Justice Center.

As a result of the investigation, Brian J. Matheny, 43, of East Jordan, Mich., has been charged with one count of robbery. Additional charges are being considered as the case continues to be investigated by Bluffton Police and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. The initial charge was filed in Lima Municipal Court.

“I cannot stress enough the amount of interagency cooperation and swift actions from a number of public safety professionals that led to a quick and safe conclusion to this potentially deadly situation,” said Chief Rick Skilliter of the Bluffton Police Department. 

Skilliter added that dispatchers from Allen County Sheriff’s Office and the State Highway patrol coordinated information between multiple agencies in a rapid time frame that facilitated the quick apprehension. 

Agencies assisting: 

• Allen County Sheriff’s Office 
• Ohio State Highway PatroL 
• Northwest Ohio Tech Crimes Unit 
• Digital COPS 
• FBI Lima Office 
• Hancock County Sheriff’s Office 
• Findlay Police Department 
• Findlay Fire Department 
• HANCO EMS.