Men were playing 'passing game' before shot was fired in road rage incident
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Two men involved in an early-morning road rage incident in Ypsilanti Township Wednesday that resulted in the discharge of a firearm were playing "a passing game" on South Huron Street, Eastern Michigan University Police Chief Bob Heighes said.
A man pulled into the Marriott parking lot to avoid another man in a white Mercedes SUV who opened fire after a road rage incident.
From the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest website
The men played the game, speeding up and slowing down beside each other a number of times before the victim pulled onto Huron River Drive and into the parking lot of Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, which is partly owned by the university, in order to avoid the suspect, who was driving a white Mercedes SUV.
The suspect pulled up behind the victim's car and fired a gunshot from the window of his vehicle. The shot hit the rear bumper of the victim's vehicle. The suspect then sped away, according to Heighes, which means the victim did not get a good look at him. Neither men exited their vehicle. The victim was not injured.
Police did not release much information about the victim besides that he was not an EMU student and that he was heading to work at the time of the incident, which occurred around 6:05 a.m. Wednesday.
EMU police continue to investigate. In the meantime, Heighes said people should be careful on the road.
"If somebody's following you in that way, we would encourage you to pull into the parking lot of a police station," Heighes said.
If that's not possible, choose a well-populated place to stop so other witnesses can help gather a suspect description, he said.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
JB SHOOTER
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 3:54 p.m.
I would expect there would be surveillance on the parking lot and firing a gun in a hotel parking lot would get lots of attention. The cop shop would be better, but a nice hotel is not a bad choice either.
Chris
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 1:32 a.m.
If this is news in this town I can rest easy. Other places they actually get out of their vehicles and shoot each other.
WalkingJoe
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:47 a.m.
A couple of months ago some joker I passed on Michigan Ave east of Ypsi took exception to it and decided he was going to intimidate me . All the way through town he would pull up beside me and glare or cut me off and slow way down and at stoplights he would try to get beside me. He kept going when I pulled into the Ypsi Police station. So the advice in the article is worth heeding if you can.
sun runner
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 1:50 p.m.
Someone acted like that because you passed them? Sheesh. Someone has issues.
OLDTIMER3
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:32 p.m.
That is why I don't understand why the victim didn't have the plate info or able to give a description of the perp, since it had been going on for a few blocks at least the way it reads.
cinnabar7071
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 1:08 a.m.
Careful who you dis Joe, this aint the old days, I say that as a joke cause most of the times people get mad for no reason what so ever. I try and smile as much as possible cause a sour face can get you hurt, or dead.
obviouscomment
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 11:48 p.m.
I think "Huron River Drive" is a typo. They would have pulled from Huron St to James L Hart Parkway to go to the Marriott. Huron River Drive is further south and I believe it is actually after Huron St turns into Whittaker.
Ann English
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 11:15 p.m.
I used the Zoom Out (-) button on the map and the arrows to see the surrounding area better, and you're right; James L. Hart Parkway IS north of Huron River Drive. According to the map provided using the south and east arrows, Huron River Drive starts at Whittaker and ends at Textile Road; I remember the Textile end better than where this last stretch of Huron River Drive begins.
Billy
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 11:20 p.m.
""If somebody's following you in that way, we would encourage you to pull into the parking lot of a police station," Heighes said." Oh....you mean like the MICHIGAN STATE POLICE POST WHICH IS ABOUT 500 FEET BEFORE THE DRIVEWAY THAT THEY PULLED INTO?? No really......isn't there a MSP post RIGHT there?
Frustrated in A2
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 7:42 p.m.
The State police closed that post back in October and it's just used as a detachment for like 2-3 Troopers last I heard. Sheriff's department is supposed to be buying it for the Ypsi Twp station last I read on here.
Cory C
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:58 p.m.
Yeah what's the story on that post? I drove by there yesterday and the sign is gone, the gate is open, and it's abandoned. If they had pulled in there they might have been killed due to the lack of witnesses.
Cash
Fri, Jul 20, 2012 : 12:09 a.m.
Not only did it close long ago, but whoever owns it now can't even mow down the weeds. It looks horrible.
sc8
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 11:48 p.m.
You mean the one that was shut down due to budget cuts? It's the only one that I know of.
obviouscomment
Thu, Jul 19, 2012 : 11:46 p.m.
It's currently not being used so that would be like pulling into a vacant lot. It would have been better to try the gas station, strip mall, or McDonalds on the opposite side of Huron.