Police chase reaches speeds of 120 mph

Police chase reaches speeds of 120 mph

Suspect fights with deputies, damages patrol car

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP — An 18-year-old Ludington man remains lodged in the Mason County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding, domestic violence, damage to police property and resisting and opposing a deputy following a high-speed chase with speeds reaching 120 mph Thursday morning, July 13, according to Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.

The chase ended in a dead end street in the City of Scottville after the suspect’s car was struck by a patrol car in order to push it off the road, said Sheriff Cole. The suspect fought with deputies during his arrest and then damaged the back seat of the patrol car, after slipping the handcuffs from behind his back.

“At 10:27 a.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2023, Mason County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a reported domestic violence call in the 5000 block of West Olmstead Road in Mason County’s Summit Township. The alleged domestic violence did involve an assault.

“Responding deputies were then advised the suspect in the assault had fled the scene, and a vehicle description was provided. A DNR law enforcement officer spotted a vehicle matching that of the suspect vehicle traveling eastbound on Hawley Road. The DNR officer provided that information on to deputies.

“A Mason County sheriff’s deputy then spotted the suspect vehicle going northbound on Scottville Road at a high rate of speed. A check by radar indicated the vehicle was traveling 75 mph in a 55 mph zone and accelerated up to 120 mph in a 55 mph zone.

“A vehicle pursuit ensued northbound on Scottville Road into the City of Scottville. As the deputy was about the terminate the chase, the vehicle turned eastbound onto Third Street, which is a ‘dead-end’ street. The suspect vehicle got to the end of the street, where the deputy attempted to box the vehicle in. However, the vehicle attempted to drive around the deputy. At that point the deputy struck the driver’s side of the suspect vehicle, pushing it off the road.

“The driver fought with deputies during the arrest and damaged the back seat of the deputies’ patrol car, after he slipped the handcuffs from behind his back.”

The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Scottville Police Department, the Hart post of the Michigan State Police, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement.

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