Traverse City man arrested after multi-township pursuit, crashes
A 26-year-old Traverse City man is behind bars following a chaotic crime spree Saturday that spanned multiple townships, involving a stolen truck, high-speed chases, and the intentional ramming of both civilian and police vehicles.
CHESTER TWP. — A 26-year-old Traverse City man is behind bars following a chaotic crime spree Saturday that spanned multiple townships, involving a stolen truck, high-speed chases, and the intentional ramming of both civilian and police vehicles.
Just after 4 p.m. May 9, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the 2300 block of Crockery Shores Road within Chester Township on a report of a man at a private residence stealing the victim's 2012 Ford F250, which was in the driveway of the residence, then driving away northbound on 24th Avenue.
A short time later, sheriff's deputies in the Spring Lake Village area located the vehicle driving on Exchange Street, where a traffic stop was initiated. The white male suspect — later identified as a 26-year-old from Traverse City — failed to stop and fled from deputies.
The suspect continued through Spring Lake Village, at which time the pursuit was terminated. Several minutes later, the suspect intentionally rammed a civilian vehicle at North Fruitport Road and East Savidge Street. This vehicle was occupied by a 25-year-old woman and a 26-year-old Ann Arbor man, in addition to a 27-year-old Spring Lake woman. This crash also struck an Ottawa County Sheriff's Office vehicle, which was at the intersection.
Ottawa County Sheriff's units began pursuing the vehicle eastbound on Cleveland Street into Crockery Township. The suspect stopped his vehicle at the intersection of Cleveland Street and M-231, at which time multiple units boxed in the suspect vehicle. The suspect then intentionally rammed multiple sheriff's vehicles and went eastbound on Cleveland Street past 112th Avenue. The bridge at this location, crossing Crockery Creek, is undergoing maintenance, with the roadway impassible. The suspect then struck an additional vehicle as he attempted to turn into a private driveway and became disabled into the nearby trees.
The suspect was then taken into custody and lodged at the Ottawa County Jail for multiple charges. There were no injuries reported by motorists in this incident.
This incident remains under investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, where additional charges against the suspect are pending.
