17-year-old Logan Larson has accepted a plea offer that will result in less time spent behind bars. But that doesn’t mean that the young man will not be facing some very serious consequences for his choices.
Court records show that Larson appeared in the Bay County Court recently, and pled guilty to single counts of third-degree retail fraud, reckless driving and driving impaired, first offense. In return the prosecution has agreed to dismiss charges of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.17 or higher (also known as super drunk driving), fourth-degree fleeing and eluding, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and driving with an invalid license.
The incident that led to these initial charges took place shortly before midnight on November 20th. It was a Friday night, and Larson was out with a friend. The pair entered a Marathon gas station and stole a number of items, which the clerk then reported to the police. When the Bay County Sheriff’s deputy arrived, he was told that the shoplifters had stolen five Bic lighters, a 25-ounce can of Bud Light Strawberita, and a Jack Link’s beef jerky stick. The clerk also identified one of the two young men as Larson.
The deputy then sat in his patrol car and made notes on the case. However, while he was sitting in his car writing, he happened to look up and see two young men run out of the same gas station. This time they were carrying a 30-pack of Busch Light. They leapt into a car and fled the premises at high speed, almost striking the patrol car in the process.
The deputy chased the fleeing pair in their car for about half a mile before they finally stopped. When asked why he had fled, Larson, who was the driver, said that he was afraid and had panicked. He also admitted to stealing the items. He and his coconspirator were apparently both intoxicated and did poorly on the roadside sobriety tests administered by the deputy.
Police records show that the other man, a 23-year-old, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. After the arrests, the two were transported to the Bay County Jail, where Larson was subjected to a blood alcohol test. His results revealed that his BAC was at .17, which puts him right at the limit for being ‘super drunk’ under Michigan law.
Larson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place on January 20th in the Bay County Circuit Court before Judge Dawn A. Klida.