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Manhunt for wanted felon delays member-guest golf tournament in Ohio

July 25, 2017

The rain delay was one thing, but hey, that happens all the time at a golf tournament. The manhunt delay, though? That was a new one for a group of golfers in Ohio.

Competitors at this year's Heritage Cup at Heritage Club in Hilliard on Friday had to wait approximately two hours while authorities swarmed the south end of the course looking for Christopher DeMoranville, a convicted felon and fugitive wanted for stalking and child sex crimes.

In the meantime, some of the golfers killed time by fishing. At least, until police called the course and ordered them to stop, according to participant Scott Ackerson. Here's a photo Ackerson took in which you can see a helicopter hovering in the sky:

Eventually, DeMoranville was apprehended in the Columbus suburb, but not on the golf course. And not before he evaded police in a car chase and then broken into someone's house with a gun and demanded a change of clothes and a vehicle, according to 10tv.com. DeMoranville was arrested after being found napping in a nearby house.

It was a good end result for authorities -- and for the golfers held up. The tournament resumed, and they had quite a story to tell.

"It was certainly a first for me," Ackerson said. "A member-guest delayed by a manhunt. . . . pretty wild."