A high-speed police chase that cut through Warren on Monday ended on the Macomb Community College South Campus and left four teenagers facing charges, according to local officials. Warren officers say the vehicle blew through traffic signals before pulling onto college property, where the occupants bailed out and ran. Prosecutors have now filed counts against the 16-year-old driver and three juvenile passengers.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido announced the case and the charges, saying the 16-year-old behind the wheel is accused of third-degree fleeing and eluding, receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, and operating without a valid license, according to ClickOnDetroit. Prosecutors say the teen waived a preliminary examination on Tuesday, was released on a personal bond and placed on house arrest, with conditions that include no driving and no contact with co-defendants. A juvenile hearing is set for April 21 in Macomb County Juvenile Court, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutor pushes tougher approach to pursuits
Lucido has been publicly campaigning for a tougher line on police pursuit cases, pressing for fewer plea deals in fleeing and eluding incidents as part of a broader effort to clamp down on dangerous chases, according to CBS Detroit. County officials say that the policy backdrop helps explain why his office moved quickly to authorize charges after the Warren chase.
How the pursuit ended on campus
Warren police say officers tried to stop a 2017 Hyundai Elantra that was speeding and running traffic signals before it pulled onto Macomb Community College’s property along 12 Mile Road, according to ClickOnDetroit. The teens allegedly took off on foot and ignored repeated commands to stop. Authorities have not released their names because they are juveniles. The three passengers, reported to be 15, 16, and 17 years old, are each facing counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, and as of yesterday, no additional court proceedings had been held for them.
Campus police and safety
Macomb Community College operates its own sworn campus police department, which patrols college grounds and coordinates with local departments when outside agencies are involved, according to the college’s police information page. College officials did not immediately report any injuries or announce a campus shutdown linked to the chase, and campus police have not released further operational details beyond what Warren police and prosecutors have already shared.
Legal penalties and next steps
Under Michigan law, third-degree fleeing and eluding is a felony that can carry up to five years in prison, and assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer is also a felony that can carry up to two years in prison, depending on the circumstances, per the state penal code. Receiving or concealing stolen property, including a motor vehicle, is likewise treated as a felony and can bring significant prison time depending on the value involved and the statutory subsection. At the April 21 juvenile hearing, a judge will determine how the cases move forward in juvenile court and whether prosecutors seek any adult bindovers.
