WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – A driver and a passenger were taken into custody on Friday after leading police on a slow speed chase throughout Washtenaw County.
The police chase began after 12 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11, during a traffic stop involving a stolen SUV in Van Buren Township. Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit, which lasted around 40 minutes.
Speeds during the chase dipped as low as 5 mph, according to police. Officers used spike strips to take out three of the car’s tires and the driver continued to flee police driving on rims. The driver led police toward Chelsea and then shifted eastward toward Ann Arbor.
At one point, the driver stopped in the area of I-94 and Baker Road and let an Ohio woman get out of the vehicle. She was taken into custody. Police said she told them the driver was experiencing suicidal thoughts. The driver was wanted on multiple warrants out of Ohio.
Police brought the vehicle to a stop with a PIT maneuver around 1 p.m. near a Mugg & Bopps gas station in Dexter. The Dexter Days festival was happening a few blocks away from where the chase ended.
The driver was transported to an area hospital.
Watch footage of the arrest below
Watch Priya Mann’s report from Aug 11 below
Help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. With proper treatment and support, it is possible to get help for suicidal thoughts and other mental health challenges.