Man Shot By Police Enters Plea To Weapon & Drug Charges
February 19, 2022
By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com
A Grand Rapids man who was shot last year in Howell Township by a Michigan State Police trooper has entered a plea in the case.
At a hearing in Livingston County Circuit Court earlier this month, 20-year-old Tristan Stavedahl pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine, which was reduced from manufacturing/distributing. He pleaded guilty as charged to three counts of felony firearms, and separate single counts of assault with a weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent. As part of the deal with prosecutors, one count of carrying a concealed weapon was dismissed.
Stavedahl was shot on April 13th, 2021 by a Detective Trooper who was in the area searching for a car theft suspect. State Police said that Stavedahl was armed when he encountered the trooper, who opened fire. After the shooting, Stavedahl was taken to a hospital for treatment, where authorities said additional methamphetamine was discovered.
The larger incident began when the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a stolen vehicle that had been abandoned after crashing near Milett and Lyton Roads. About a half hour later, another stolen vehicle crash was reported in the vicinity.
A female suspect was located by deputies and based on identification left behind in the vehicle, it was determined that Stavedahl was also involved. Multiple law enforcement units responded in an attempt to locate him, including the MSP Detective Trooper who shot Stavedahl. The woman, Ashley Berry, earlier pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle and was sentenced to jail and probation.
Stavedahl will be sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Suzanne Geddis March 3rd.