September 22, 2005 Update

Investigation and Arrest

At approximately 2:00 a.m. Thursday, September 8th Troy Officers were initially called to a residence on Briarwood on a report that a Jeep Wrangler had crashed into the house. While enroute, it was reported that shots were fired and the Jeep Wrangler had fled the scene. Responding officers located the Jeep at Square Lake and Dequindre and stopped it.

Investigation revealed the 38-year-old male homeowner heard a loud crash outside his home.  He stated it sounded like an explosion. When he looked outside he saw that a Jeep Wrangler had crashed into his attached garage and was partially lodged into the garage door. He stated the doorbell began ringing.  He armed himself with a handgun and went to investigate the commotion. When he didnt see anyone on his porch, he went outside. He observed a single occupant inside the Jeep revving the engine, as if trying to flee.  He ordered the driver to stop, however the Jeep sped backwards out of the drive and stopped on the street. As the homeowner tried to get the license plate, the Jeep accelerated back and forth on the street, squealing its wheels. The driver made some kind of threatening statement to the homeowner then drove east down the street. As the homeowner began to walk back toward his house, the Jeep came speeding back west down the street with its headlights out. It drove several times around the traffic island at the end of the street. The Jeep then drove up the homeowners driveway in a manner that lead him to believe the driver was trying to strike him. He took cover behind a vehicle parked in his driveway, but the Jeep kept driving around it, leaving numerous tire tracks in the lawn and sidewalk as it did. As it circled the parked car, the victim tried to keep moving around the parked vehicle to avoid being hit. Eventually the Jeep drove onto the lawn on the west side of the vehicle. The victim was on the east side of the vehicle.  The Jeep accelerated directly at him, slamming into the drivers side door of the parked car.  The victim moved behind it, as he feared the Jeep would push it on top of him. The Jeep backed up and drove at him again. At that point the victim fired 4-5 shots from his weapon at the Jeep. The weapon jammed. He ran toward his house. He was able to reach the house where he retrieved a second handgun.  He looked outside and did not see the Jeep.  He went out to the porch.  The Jeep had relocated to a grassy area to the west of his house. The Jeep accelerated again toward the house, directly at him. He fired 1-2 more shots at the Jeep. As he did, the Jeep stopped in its path and fled out of the subdivision.

The driver of the Jeep sustained a minor wound to his ear, possibly from one of the gunshots, as well as other minor lacerations, probably from breaking glass. He was intoxicated. He was treated and released from Troy Beaumont Hospital. He originally told officers he encountered an unknown male while entering his house in Sterling Heights who fired several shots at him for an unknown reason until he fled. He later stated he was shot by an unknown male in the driveway of a garage in the area of Square Lake and Dequindre that he rents to work on other vehicles. He later claimed no recollection of any of the night's events.

The Jeep had five bullet holes in it. The investigation revealed the suspect was supposed to be doing some repair work on the vehicle, however had no permission from the owner to be driving it. Nearby residences were inspected, and no evidence was found indicating any were struck by the rounds that were fired.

The commotion woke up other neighbors. It appears the suspect engaged another neighbor who confronted him about his reckless driving up and down the street just before the above incident.

Witness accounts were consistent with that of the victim, indicating it appeared the Jeep was chasing the victim, in a deliberate attempt to run him down.

There is no evidence the victim or suspect know one another or are connected in any way.

The case was presented to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and they issued a request for warrant charging the suspect with the following charges:

Assault with Intent to Commit Murder Felony - Up to life in prison
Assault with Intent to do Great Bodily Harm Less than Murder Felony - 10 years
Felonious Assault Felony 4 years
Malicious Destruction of Property Over $1000.00 5 years
Unauthorized Driving Away of an Automobile Felony 5 years
Operate While Intoxicated 3rd or Subsequent Offense Felony 5 years  (Suspect has 8 prior convictions for intoxicated driving related offenses since 1995)
Drove While License Suspended 2nd or Subsequent Offense Misdemeanor 1 year