Early this morning, a high-speed police chase in Berrien County came to an end when a suspect driving a stolen SUV crashed into Saylor's Pizza Port, igniting a blaze that inflicted significant damage to the Niles restaurant. The incident began at approximately 4:50 a.m. when a Berrien County sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop the vehicle for speeding on US-12 near Weaver Street, as reported by WZZM 13.
The suspect reportedly refused to pull over, instigating a brief pursuit which ended when they lost control of the SUV on a curve and plowed into Saylor’s Pizza Port located in the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue. According to MLive, the crash not only caused extensive damage but also started a fire that required multiple police and fire departments to respond.
The driver of the crashed SUV, whose identity has yet to be released pending a court appearance, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and has been arrested on preliminary charges. These include fleeing and eluding police as well as possession of a stolen vehicle, as per the information provided by the Berrien County Sheriff's Office to WNDU. There were no other individuals inside the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Niles Mayor Nick Shelton commented via a Facebook post, acknowledging the quick action by Saylor’s Pizza Port to work with insurance companies on the reconstruction following the unfortunate event.
