Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A suspected drunk driver from Pinckney was arrested over the weekend after fleeing police and crashing into a patrol vehicle.

Deputies from the Livingston County Sheriff's Office responded around 4:30am Saturday to assist Deputies from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office that were actively pursuing a suspected drunk driver in a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The suspect had been observed passed out in the vehicle on a roadway. When the driver was awoken, he fled at a high rate of speed.

The pursuit entered Livingston County in southern Hamburg Township where members from that department and the Green Oak Township Police Department attempted to assist. Washtenaw County deputies eventually lost sight of the vehicle and the pursuit was terminated.

A Deputy from the Livingston County Sheriff's Office was near Pettysville Road and M-36 when he observed the suspect vehicle driving at a high rate of speed. Police say the vehicle then made a high-speed and reckless turn onto Pettysville Road. The Deputy attempted to stop the vehicle using his emergency lights and siren but the vehicle continued to flee at a high rate of speed, refusing to pull over. Police said the suspect was driving in a reckless manner - including running civilian cars off the roadway, almost rear-ending civilian cars, running stop signs, as well as traveling well above the speed limit.

The suspect then entered Pinckney Village, still driving at a high rate of speed, turned onto Mill Street and went to the dead end. The suspect vehicle then left the roadway and traveled through yards and hit a fire hydrant. Due to the dangerous driving, a P.I.T. maneuver was performed. The vehicle continued to travel, at which point another Deputy from the Livingston County Sheriff's Office positioned his vehicle in front of the suspect vehicle to stop it. The suspect then turned into the front of the patrol car and struck it – causing the suspect vehicle to become inoperable. The driver exited and attempted to flee on foot. He was subsequently arrested after a brief foot pursuit without further incident.

There were no injuries to anybody during the incident. The suspect vehicle, as well as the two Livingston County Sheriff's Office vehicles, sustained functional damage.

A search of the vehicle located an open alcohol bottle as well as a pneumatic handgun that closely resembled a Glock handgun.

The driver was identified as a 28-year-old Pinckney man who was currently on parole from the Department of Corrections for having been a felon in possession of a firearm. He was lodged at the Livingston County Jail on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, transporting open intoxicants, fleeing/eluding, resisting/obstructing as well as having a detainer from the Michigan Department of Corrections placed on him.

Charges are being sought from both the Livingston County Prosecutor's Office as well as the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office.

Deputies were assisted by members from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, Hamburg Township Police Department, Pinckney Police Department as well as Central Dispatch for both Livingston County and Washtenaw County.