TC Man Arrested After Pursuit That Damaged Two Sheriff's Vehicles

A 30-year-old Traverse City man is facing multiple charges after a high-speed pursuit on US-31 Friday night that damaged two Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office vehicles. 

A Sheriff's Office deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop at 10:50pm in East Bay Township on a Jeep Cherokee that had almost rear-ended the deputy. The driver disregarded the deputy's emergency lights and fled westbound on US-31 North toward Traverse City.

A pursuit led deputies into Traverse City and Garfield Township. The driver continued to disregard emergency lights and sirens, with deputies attempting multiple times to deploy stop sticks to end the pursuit. The driver then attempted to evade deputies by driving into a ditch on Secor Road, striking a Sheriff’s Office vehicle in the process and ending the pursuit.

The driver was arrested for operating while impaired, fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing, four counts of felonious assault on a police officer, driving with a suspended license, and having an open intoxicant. He was lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail after being medically treated for minor injuries.

A 62-year-old Traverse City female passenger in the car was medically treated for minor injuries and released. A 31-year-old Benzonia man was released as well. Two Sheriff’s Office vehicles were damaged during the incident.