Man steals car, abandons it when Grand Traverse deputies show up, steals another vehicle and rams into state police cars, sheriff says

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY — A 30-year-old Roscommon man is in custody after a wild night, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said.

On July 20 at 1:43 a.m., central dispatch received a call from a Whitewater Township resident who reported a suspicious vehicle in her driveway. The caller said the driver seemed confused and was asking for directions, deputies said. The resident attempted to assist the driver, but the dark-colored vehicle left, deputies said.

However, a short time later it returned. The resident was able to get the plate number, deputies said.

While deputies were en route to the Whitewater Township address, central dispatch was able to determine the suspicious vehicle has been reported stolen to the Michigan State Police Houghton Lake Post.

As deputies arrived, they found the vehicle at the scene, but the driver was no longer with the vehicle, they said.

A few minutes later, a second vehicle was witnessed by deputies leaving a neighboring driveway. It was determined the suspect had stolen the second vehicle, deputies said.

Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver fled on M-72, reaching speeds of 100 mph, deputies said. Eventually the vehicle entered a Meijer parking lot, at which point the driver of the stolen vehicle rammed the sheriff’s office patrol patrol vehicle, disabling the patrol car, deputies said.

The driver of the stolen vehicle attempted to go back onto M-72, but state police were able to stop the vehicle, deputies said.

The driver, identified as 30-year-old from Roscommon, was taken into custody, deputies said. He was sent to the Grand Traverse County Jail on several felony charges, including assault on a police officer, possession of stolen property, flea and elude, and unlawful driving away of an automobile.