A 61-year-old Clinton Township man accused of intentionally slamming his car into the driver's-side door of a Fraser patrol car with two officers inside was arraigned Wednesday and ordered held on a $1 million cash or surety bond. Gaspare Cracchiolo now faces a lengthy list of felony charges stemming from the October 26 incident, which ended with his vehicle flipped over in a retention pond after a police chase.
Judge Joseph Boedeker set the bond during Cracchiolo's arraignment in 39th District Court in Roseville, according to the Macomb Daily. Should he post bond, Cracchiolo would be required to wear a GPS tether, submit to random drug testing, and avoid alcohol and drugs entirely, per the seed reporting from CBS Detroit.
How the Chase Unfolded
According to prosecutors, Fraser public safety officers were alerted to a vehicle connected to an alleged hit-and-run and felony fleeing-and-eluding incident. Officers located that vehicle behind a business on Kelly Road near Groesbeck Highway in Fraser and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the Macomb Daily's account states.
Prosecutors allege Cracchiolo then intentionally drove into the driver's-side door of the patrol car while the officers were still inside. Both officers managed to exit through the passenger-side door and ordered Cracchiolo to stop, but he instead backed out of the parking lot and drove away, touching off a police pursuit, per the same account.
Officers Hurt, Car Ends Up in Pond
The two Fraser officers suffered what prosecutors described as minor injuries — one reported arm and knee pain, while the other reported back and leg pain. After several miles, Cracchiolo lost control of the car, which overturned into a retention pond near Groesbeck and 11 Mile Road in Warren, the Macomb Daily reports. He was taken into custody once the vehicle came to rest in the water.
Macomb County prosecutors charged Cracchiolo with two felony counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, along with additional charges that include two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, malicious destruction of police property, operating with a suspended or revoked license, and unlawful use of a license plate or registration. He is also charged as a habitual offender.
Prosecutor Cites Officer Safety
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido framed the case around the risks officers face on the job. “Public safety is our top priority. We must protect those who put their lives on the line to protect us and ensure that anyone who threatens the safety of our community is held accountable,” Lucido said, according to the Macomb Daily's reporting.
Cracchiolo is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause conference on November 13. Under Michigan law, courts are required to set that conference between seven and 14 days after arraignment, with a preliminary examination then following within five to seven days of the conference.
