Police chase case remanded to district court

Jonathan Vanderhorst, at right, with his attorney, Gary Tibble.

By Allison Scarbrough. Contributing Editor.

LUDINGTON — The 51st Circuit Court case against a 27-year-old Parchment, Mich. man who was arrested following a high-speed chase through the city limits last July was remanded to 79th District Court Tuesday, Sept. 22.

The chase involved Jonathan Vanderhorst allegedly crashing into two parked trucks, a boat trailer and a tree.

The prosecution and defense agreed to move the case back to the lower court.

The police chase last July ended when Vanderhorst’s vehicle flipped over after hitting a 6-foot by 6-foot embankment enclosed by wooden beams near the intersection of Rowe and Pere Marquette streets, Captain Mike Harrie of the Ludington Police Department previously said.

Vanderhorst was transported by Life EMS to Spectrum Health in Ludington and later lodged in the Mason County Jail. He was arraigned in 79th District Court on a felony of fleeing and eluding.

“Luckily no one was seriously wounded,” Harrie said. Vanderhorst allegedly ran stop signs and yield signs, reaching speeds of 80 mph.

An LPD officer was alerted that a Ludington State Park employee had called 911 reporting that a male subject was denied access to the park and was driving erratically and sweating profusely at approximately 12:30 a.m., Harrie said. The officer “intercepted” him on Lakeshore Drive heading south, and he began heading east on Pere Marquette, Harrie said. “He activated his overheads and began pursuing him.

After the crash, Vanderhorst was taken into custody. “He didn’t resist and was ordered to the ground and cooperated after that,” Harrie said.