HURON TOWNSHIP, MI – Heavyweight boxing contender Jared Anderson, 24, faces serious charges after police say he led them on a dangerous high-speed pursuit. The chase, which involved three attempts to pull over Anderson's orange Dodge Challenger, ended with the pro fighter crashing into a median on Thursday around 1:36 p.m. ET, as reported by ESPN.
The pursuit began when an officer clocked Anderson speeding at 91 mph in a 70-mph zone on Feb. 29 and escalated as he allegedly swerved around other vehicles to evade the police close to reaching 130 miles per hour in an act that cast aside public safety in a volatile gambit for escape, according to WWJ Newsradio 950. Two further chases ensued, both terminated by authorities due to the risk posed to other road users, before the final crash that led to Anderson's arrest.
The boxer was arraigned on Saturday morning and charged with third-degree felony fleeing a police officer, with the possibility of a sentence that includes up to five years in prison, and/or a $1,000 fine, as well as a year without driving privileges, as reported by 13abc. Post-arrest, Anderson posted a $10,000 bail with the condition that he not drive unless traveling to court dates — a boundary put in place perhaps to rein in a man once unbounded by the roads' constraints, with his next appearance scheduled for March 13 at the 34th District Court in Romulus, Mich. for a probable cause hearing.
In the aftermath, ESPN chronicled Anderson's apology issued through social media, "Sorry to my parents, my girl & baby ... life goes on people. Definitely gonna make better decisions to all my true friends/supporters." His previous run-in with the law, including a plea to an amended charge of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle last December after a November arrest, underscores a pattern that one hopes is not indicative of a fighter’s spirits shackled by self-sabotage. Anderson, also known as "Big Baby," is seen as America's top heavyweight champion hopeful with an undefeated record to date and is scheduled for a bout on April 13 against Ryad Merhy, a date casting its shadow amid the current turmoil, detailed ESPN's coverage.
The incident raises concerns regarding the athlete's decision-making outside the ring, where moments of high-stakes pressure are no strangers — yet the stakes, in this case, extended beyond personal glory and revolved around public safety.
