TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — A Traverse City man was arrested Friday night following a police pursuit that ended with his vehicle striking a sheriff's office car.
According to the Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office, the incident began at 10:50 p.m. when a deputy attempted to pull over a silver Jeep Cherokee in East Bay Township. The driver ignored emergency lights and continued westbound on U.S. 31 toward Traverse City.
The pursuit extended into Traverse City and Garfield Township, where deputies attempted several times to deploy stop sticks to halt the vehicle. The pursuit ended when the suspect drove into a ditch on Secor Road, colliding with a sheriff's office vehicle.
The 30-year-old driver was arrested on multiple charges, including operating while impaired, fleeing and eluding police, resisting and obstructing, four counts of felonious assault against a police officer, driving on a suspended license, and possession of an open intoxicant.
Authorities reported that the driver was treated for minor injuries before being lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail. Two passengers in the vehicle, a 62-year-old Traverse City woman and a 31-year-old man from Benzonia, also sustained minor injuries but were released after treatment.
The sheriff's office confirmed that two patrol vehicles were damaged during the incident, and the investigation is ongoing.