Report of multiple stolen vehicles results in police chase along I-75 in Monroe County
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office relayed the following details in a press release about the stolen vehicles, explaining the route that was taken along the highway and efforts to pick up the suspects.
About 3:14 a.m., Monroe County Central Dispatch gave a report to patrol officers that up to 15 vehicles had just been stolen from an automotive manufacturer in Toledo. Several of those stolen vehicles in pursuit by Toledo Police Department on I-75, they were crossing the state line into Monroe County.
Toledo police continued to pursue the vehicles into Michigan, while Monroe County Sheriff's Office set up along I-75 to assist.
As the pursuit reached Exit 11, which is the LaPlaisance Road exit in Monroe Township, one of the deputies drove onto northbound I-75 and took over as lead vehicle. The main suspect vehicle being pursued at the time was a black 2025 Dodge Durango.
The driver of the Durango "continuously made evasive actions, such as crossing back and forth across all northbound lanes, turning its headlights off at various points, and attempting to 'brake check' pursuing officers," the sheriff's report said.
Upon reaching Exit 15, which is the North Dixie Highway exit in Frenchtown Township, the suspect was able to avoid stop sticks. But he began to slow down as the vehicle appeared to run out of fuel.
Just south of Exit 18, which is the Nadeau Road exit, the vehicle suddenly stopped. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, got out and ran off. The suspect was wearing dark clothing and a mask. He jumped the median barrier, crossed into the southbound lanes, and ran into a field on the west side of I-75.
Deputies sent a K-9 and a drone to that location.
A few minutes later, a deputy who was on the perimeter of the search area saw a blue Nissan Rogue stop and pick up a person in the back lot of the Pilot Travel Center at 1200 Nadeau Road, just off the I-75 interchange. Officers realized that one of those people matched the description of the suspect who ran off from the stolen Dodge Durango.
Deputies tried to pull over the Nissan for a traffic stop, but that driver sped off southbound on I-75, leaving the highway at Exit 13, which is Front Street in the City of Monroe. The Nissan quickly got back onto I-75, but this time the vehicle entered the wrong way, driving southbound in the northbound lanes.
This time, stop sticks placed by Monroe Police Department were able to stop the vehicle.
Because of damage from the stop sticks, the driver pulled over. The two males who were inside ran off. Officers tried a K-9 track and drone in an effort to locate the suspects, but they were not found at the time.
The original theft of the Dodge Durango and the other stolen vehicles is being investigated by the Toledo Police Department.
The law enforcement activity in Michigan was led by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, assisted by Monroe Police Department and Michigan State Police.
Deputies ask that anyone with information on the theft and suspects contact the Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau at 734-240-7530.
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