FireKeepers casino theft suspect crashes during police pursuit
BATTLE CREEK, MI June 4 2017– Police arrested a man accused of grabbing cash from a poker game pot at FireKeepers casino and fleeing police through four counties before crashing, the Michigan State Police reports.
About 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 1, Kalamazoo County Central Dispatch broadcast a “be on the lookout” alert about a person who committed a larceny at FireKeepers Casino near Battle Creek.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel Security alerted the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Police that a poker player was seen taking cash from a poker table pot, fleeing the casino and driving off in a small black vehicle, police said.
The vehicle fled and police in Calhoun County lost track of it when it made a U-turn on I-94 and headed west.
Kalamazoo County deputies located the vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect vehicle refused to stop, the Michigan State Police reports.
After several unsuccessful attempts to immobilize the vehicle using “stop sticks,” Kalamazoo County deputies terminated the pursuit at the 72 mile marker of I-94 westbound.
A short time later, a trooper from the Paw Paw Post observed the vehicle passing a westbound semi on the right shoulder of the freeway.
The trooper attempted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle for reckless driving and the pursuit began again. The suspect continued to evade police and continued westbound on I-94 through Van Buren County and into Berrien County, police said.
The vehicle crashes at the 32 mile marker, striking the cable median barrier, ending the pursuit, police said.
A Tweet from someone in the area shows a damaged black vehicle and several Michigan State Police vehicles.
mlive
