Suspected Drunk Driver Sideswipes Patrol Car
Police are known for their particular dislike of others who harm one of their own, or damage their property. And that includes their patrol cars. So the suspected drunken driver who sideswiped a patrol car in Ypsilanti the other day is not going to be very popular with local law enforcement, whether or not the driver was drunk at the time.
According to Ypsilanti police Sergeant Joe Yuhas, at about 8:15 pm, a Washtenaw County Sheriff’s deputy was conducting a traffic stop near the Michigan Avenue and Hewitt Road intersection. Suddenly, a maroon van drove by, sideswiping the deputy’s patrol car. But the driver never stopped. Instead the van continued on down Michigan Avenue and was lost to sight.
Information about the incident was released via Central Dispatch to all officers in the area. A search began for the hit-and-run driver. Eventually officers discovered a van matching the description of the fleeing vehicle parked in the parking lot of The Meadows apartments on Meadow Woods Boulevard, located in Ypsilanti Township.
The driver was still sitting inside the van when officers happened upon the vehicle, but once he realized that his whereabouts had been discovered, the driver fled. Officers on the scene said the driver is a male, who leapt out of the van and fled on foot. However, he was captured after a short chase and taken into police custody.
As of now, it is suspected that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the collision with the patrol car, however, police have not released any information confirming or denying this. The driver was turned over to the Michigan State Police who are currently investigating the incident.
However, if this driver is discovered to have been drunk when he sideswiped the deputy’s car, a DUI is going to be the least of his concerns. He is also likely to be charged with leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing and eluding police, and possibly even charges relating to property damage. All of the above are relatively serious, and could result in substantial time behind bars for this defendant.
No other information has yet been released about his upcoming court hearings, or any information that would reveal his identity.
