Roseville man faces 16 charges after woman killed in crash with stolen pickup, police say

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – A Roseville man is facing 16 charges after he fled police in a stolen pickup truck and later killed a woman when he crashed into her car at an intersection, authorities said.

Undercover Macomb County deputies said they located a stolen pickup truck at 1:23 p.m. Monday (Dec. 20) in Mount Clemens. The 2014 Dodge Ram had been stolen in Fraser earlier that morning, they said.

When police tried to arrest the driver, later identified as Vertese Steven Woods, 41, of Roseville, he fled in the pickup truck at a high speed, according to authorities.

Police said Woods struck at least one undercover vehicle and almost hit multiple pedestrians in the area. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office shared this surveillance video:

Deputies said they lost sight of the truck, but minutes later, officials were called to a crash scene at the intersection of Cass Avenue and South Rose Street.

Investigators said Linda Jozefiak, 58, of Harrison Township, was driving a Ford Fusion east on Cass Avenue when Woods blew through a stop sign and crashed into the driver’s side of her car.

The impact from the Ram caused the Fusion to roll over, according to officials.

Woods fled the scene on foot but was taken into custody without incident, deputies said.

Jozefiak was taken to McLaren Macomb Hospital, but died from her injuries, authorities said.

Woods has been charged with second-degree murder, receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, first-degree fleeing a police officer, operating with a suspended, revoked or denied license causing death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in serious impairment or death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death, moving violation causing death, malicious destruction of property between $200 and $1,000, larceny less than $200 and six counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

He was arraigned Wednesday at 41-B District Court in Clinton Township and is being held at the Macomb County Jail on $1,000,000 bond, cash/surety.