Drunken driver arrested after crashing his car into a police car, Green Oak Township police say
A 49-year-old South Lyon man was arrested Thursday evening after police say he crashed his car while driving drunk, fled the scene and eventually struck a patrol car with his vehicle.
Green Oak Township police responded to Eight Mile Road east of Marshall Road at about 7:19 p.m. for an unknown vehicle crash. As a police officer approached the lone vehicle involved, the man began driving away in a 1996 GMC Jimmy.
Green Oak Township police say the man's car almost struck the first responding officer's car, then drove directly toward a second police car. That officer was forced to drive off the road, police said.
The fleeing driver continued westbound on Eight Mile Road and turned north onto Marshall Road. According to police, the GMC drove directly at a third police car with its emergency lights activated and collided with the patrol car.
Damage to the police car wasn't significant, and no officers were injured, a police news release said.
The driver was arrested and was lodged in the Livingston County Jail on charges of third-offense drunken driving, fleeing an eluding, felonious assault with a vehicle, leaving the scene of a crash, and being a habitual offender.
His name has not yet been released.
Comments
scooter dog
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 9:29 a.m.
Due to the fact that the jails are over crowded and can only house violent felons,it is highly unlikely that jail time for any,any type of drunk driving will happen.90 days max 1yr never happen.1st,2nd,3rd,4th time they don't care,they the drunks know their not going to do hard time so whats to lose,take a chance and keep on driving.Taking away there license does nothing to stop them,look at the guy in detroit that got caught driving drunk for, now get this his 24th time.and he only got 6 months jail time,or the guy who killed the nurse on m-14 a few yrs back.He was on his 5th or 6th d/d offence,and if I am not mistaken he got lucky and got a slap on the wrist sentence by the one and only Melinda Morris
ezbngreen
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 9:22 a.m.
A stroke of good luck in that the offender will get his day in court in Livingston county. Had he been in Washtenaw county he would have been sent to treatment and ordered to classes for at least the next three times he is caught driving drunk. I bet he won't fair as well in Livingston County.
jondhall
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 7:09 a.m.
My understanding of Third offense minimum jail time of one year and minimum license revocation of five years, ouch! Is this right or not?
Dot
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 12:04 a.m.
Thankfully, no one was killed by this drunk driver. That's amazing. What are the laws/sentencing in regards to a third DUI? Do you actually continue to drive *if* you get the right judge? or is it a mandatory long-term suspension? Curious
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 11:10 p.m.
Ban assualt vehicles!!!
djm12652
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 8:43 p.m.
@grinch...you slay me! And this guy has priors? No surprise, a drunk is a drunk...
The Grinch
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.
On a reality TV show? ROFL!!!!!
scooter dog
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 5:51 p.m.
Melinda Morris has a history of giving SLAP ON THE WRIST SENTENCES to second,third,fourth offence law brakers.One has to only read the paper to see this.If the judges of livingston county get as bad as melinda morris,then they deserve to be complained about.
Bob Needham
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 4:17 p.m.
We're getting kind of far afield here... Can we bring the discussion back to this incident? thanks
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 4:11 p.m.
Well that's one of those crafty police things right there. By putting the car in drive you are technically using enough force to be considered attempted murder which would give the police the 'right' to kill you....add in the fact that by way of reasoning somone who would attempt to kill a police officer needs to be restained from society and there you go. Of course whether it actually happens frequently i doubt it. The other one I can think of is when they let a police dog loose to apprehend a suspect and the dog jumps on him and starts biting him the obvious reaction to any normal person would be to get the dog off of you and protect yourself, off course as soon as you touch the thing it's "assualting a police officer." Ouch.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 4:02 p.m.
the Canton incident Was about 5 years ago, on Beck road.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:59 p.m.
And DJM, It would be a smarter move to simply just move out of the way...If you shoot sombody who has their foot on the accelerator there is a high chance that the vehicle will not stop, as the dead persons foot could get stuck on the accelerator. Again, it's safer and more logical to simply move out of the way when a vehicle is coming towards you...as aposed to pulling a gun and firing shots into the drivers seat.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:54 p.m.
1973saline, I specific time that I can recall, it happened in Canton, a police officer shot a men in the head that was trying to get away. I've also seen it on a Reality TV show, the police officer stood directly in front of the vehicle, and when the driver put the car in drive, instead of getting out of the way, he pulled his gun and shot the guy in the chest 5 times. If a car is coming at you, your first though should be to get out of the way...Not 'how can I kill this person'.
beachmaster
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:34 p.m.
Before several of you go on your tirades about Melinda Morris, did you notice that this is a 3rd offense? Guess you need to start whining about some of the Livingston county judges.
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:33 p.m.
haha...ouch. This guy is gunna do some time alright.
annarbor
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:31 p.m.
"I've seen many instances where police have jumped in front of a vehicle that was trying to get away, and have used this as an excuse to kill". Honestly, just name ONE instance that you have witnessed. We'll be waiting....
djm12652
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:30 p.m.
@atticusf, if someone is coming at me with their car trying to hurt me, I think I have every right to stop them...why shouldn't the police? And where are all of these instances of cops "killing" drivers from? Michigan? Please produce the facts and or data to support this. I'm very interested in it.
1973saline
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:20 p.m.
Could you please tell us about the "many instances" you have seen where police jump in front of vehicle just so they can shoot the driver.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 3:03 p.m.
Scooter Dog, You are basically giving the police a green light to murder people who are just trying to get away. I've seen many instances where police have jumped in front of a vehicle that was trying to get away, and have used this as an excuse to kill. If you get in the way of a person who is trying to flee, you are putting yourself in danger. There is no need to escalate a simple traffic stop into a violent shooting death! In other words, trying to escape from the police does not warrant a death sentance, because some gun-ho cop decides he's going to jump in front of a fleeing vehicle.
scooter dog
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 2:31 p.m.
I think the state of michigan House Bill # 5143 dated 7/18/2006. should apply here.
1973saline
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 2:26 p.m.
If a person is using his vehicle as a weapon against a police officer he can use deadly force. No new law is needed.
scooter dog
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 2:12 p.m.
This state needs to pass a law where if you use your car as a weapon against a police officer that the police officer can and will use deadly force to include killing them.I read way to many instances where people fleeing police use their vehicles as a weapon and it needs to end.Its the same if they were pointing a gun at them and when they do that they get what they asked for.
djm12652
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 2:02 p.m.
@scooter dog...you are so correct on that one!
scooter dog
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 1:54 p.m.
Thank god its not in washtenaw county or Melinda Morris would let him off with a slap on the wrist
SemperFi
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.
The last paragraph should probably say "habitual offender"? Get this guy off the road!!!