wading in: Officers chase break-in suspect across Huron River to make arrest

The charges stem from Monday afternoon, when police were alerted to a man who had broke into an apartment on Kingsley Street.

Ann Arbor police Detective Lt. Robert Pfannes said officers were dispatched at 2:21 p.m. Monday to the 700 block of Kingsley after a resident there reported Campbell had broken into his apartment. Pfannes said the resident returned home and confronted Campbell, who was in his residence, claiming to be a maintenance worker checking on a reported smell of smoke.

The resident told Campbell to leave and he promptly walked away, according to Pfannes. Officers canvassed the area as they searched for him.

Officer Sean Lee was searching for Campbell in the 1000 block of Fuller Street when he observed a window screen leaning against a home, Pfannes said.

Lee got out of his car to check it out and was moving toward the house when Campbell walked out of the front door carrying a blue bag and wearing a black backpack, Pfannes said.

Once he noticed Lee, Campbell took off, eventually dropping the bags as he made his way toward the river, Pfannes said.

Campbell jumped into the river and made his way to the opposite bank, with Lee quickly entering the water right behind him, Pfannes reported.

Campbell managed to make it to the other side of the river before Lee had exited the water and fled down a footpath, Pfannes said. Other officers converged on the area and Officer Robert Schneider ended up finding Campbell hiding between a tree and the river’s shoreline, according to Pfannes.

Schneider also had to enter the river in order to make the arrest. Officer Kevin Warner assisted him, along with other Ann Arbor police officers.

The property allegedly stolen by Campbell included checks, laptops, other electronics, jewelry and cash, Pfannes said. All of it was recovered.

Campbell has been lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail since his arrest and was arraigned Wednesday afternoon on the three felony charges. He’s being held in the jail on a $50,000 bond for those charges, Pfannes said.

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