Undercover prostitution sting sparks police chase on Detroit's east side

Minivan leads Detroit police officers on chase before crashing

DETROIT – A chase between Detroit police and a white minivan that ended with a crash played out live Tuesday on Local 4 News at 5, and officials have released more information about what led to the dramatic impact.

Police followed the minivan as it twisted and turned throughout neighborhoods and along busy Woodward Avenue in Detroit. At one point, the fleeing minivan drove the wrong way down Woodward.

The chase came to an end when the minivan was hit by a woman's car.

"He hit me, like, sideswiped me," Marion Allbright said. "(It) tore my car up."

Sky Four captured video of the white minivan driving right in the path of Allbright's Nissan. The two vehicles slammed into one another at State Fair Road, just off I-75.

"I didn't hear the sirens, actually," Allbright said. "I didn't hear the sirens. It just came from nowhere."

Detroit police started chasing the minivan after undercover officers working a prostitution sting on John R. and State Fair roads found themselves looking down the barrel of a gun.

"I'm told it was an (assault rifle)," Detroit Police Lt. Vernal Newson said. "AK-type weapon. Long gun."

Police said the two men in the van had no idea they aimed the gun at undercover officers. When the surveillance team moved in, the men in the minivan took off.

"Who knows what would have taken place had they been just regular citizens," Newson said. "They didn't know they were police officers, I'm sure, and they didn't know they were under surveillance at the time. That's what makes this even more danger to the public."

You can watch the full video of the chase below: 


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.