Westlake Man Suspected of Carjacking Pleads Not Guilty

Westlake resident John Julius, 54, pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning to and running from police.

for allegedly getting into a man's car, hitting him in the face and forcing him to drive at 5:30 a.m. April 8. According to police reports, Julius told the man he was the Lord and that people were after him.

Julius then tried to get into a 51-year-old woman’s car near Dover Center Road but she sped away and called police, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.

Westlake Cpt. Guy Turner said police finally caught up with Julius when officers saw him riding a bicycle on Dover Center Road. Turner said Julius ran from police through backyards but officers were able to catch him.

Police later found that the bike had been stolen from a student at earlier, and returned it to the owner.

Julius will be tried in the courtroom of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy McCormack.

Julius has been convicted of minor traffic charges in the past and is in Westlake City Jail. No pretrial has been scheduled yet.