Ludington man arraigned in Kalkaska County for fleeing police.

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Ludington man arraigned in Kalkaska County for fleeing police. 

#MasonCountyNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief. 

KALKASKA — Derek Kenneth-Wayne Ray, 21, of Ludington, was arraigned recently in Kalkaska County’s 87th District Court on several charges related to a police chase Monday, Aug. 28.

According to the Kalkaska Department of Public Safety, an officer attempted to pull over the vehicle Ray was driving, a 2009 Chevrolet HHR, for traveling at high speeds and carelessly operating the vehicle, about 11 p.m. near the intersection of Court and Lynn streets in the Village of Kalkaska.

“As the officer approached the suspect vehicle the driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, (the suspect) made a verbal comment and fled the traffic stop leading KDPS in a high rate of speed pursuit weaving through the residential area streets and eventually entering County Road 612 where other units were able to attempt to assist stopping the suspect vehicle,” according to a press release from the Kalkaska Department of Public Safety.

“The suspect vehicle was driven at high rates of speed away from the Village of Kalkaska eastbound on County Road 612 then northbound on Wheeler Lake Road. Near the intersection of Wood and Priest roads, the suspect vehicle lost control and left the roadway at which time the suspect vehicle was driven on power line easements and two tracks while attempting to elude the police. The suspect vehicle eventually became mechanically disabled from a broken tie road and the driver abandoned the suspect vehicle in a field and fled the scene.

“While officers on foot searched the immediate area for the suspect, they made contact with a vehicle attempting to leave a nearby campsite. The suspect driver was located inside the trunk of that car leaving the campsite and was taken into custody without any further incident.”

Ray is facing a charge of fleeing a police officer, third degree, a felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment and/or a $1,000 fine; driving on a suspended/revoked license, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days imprisonment and/or $500 fine; and unlawful use of registration/title, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days imprisonment and/or $100 fine. He was also expected to be charged as a habitual offender, third offense, a felony punishable by twice the maximum sentence on the primary offense or a lesser term.

According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, Ray is currently on probation. In 2015 he was convicted in Kalkaska County’s 46th Circuit Court on the charges of receiving stolen property, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000; and larceny of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000 and sentenced to one to five years imprisonment, concurrently, on both charges.

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