HOWELL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) – Quick thinking by a patrol officer from Livingston County disabled a stolen SUV after it fled a police chase and began driving the wrong way on the freeway over the weekend.
The county sheriff’s office said a Fowlerville Police Department officer used a PIT maneuver shortly after it crossed a median and began driving toward oncoming traffic on I-96. A 34-year-old male from Detroit was taken into custody after the incident.
Police began pursuing the suspect after a Livingston County Sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle with a stolen license plate that was traveling westbound near Howell Township. When officers activated their emergency lights, the suspect car fled.
According to police, the stolen 2021 Toyota Rav4 reached speeds over 100 mph in an attempt to escape officers.
Around the same time, an officer with the Fowlerville department moved into position to the west of the speeding vehicle to deploy stop sticks. In an effort to avoid the sticks, the driver cut across the highway median – leading the officer into the grass.
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As the Toyota entered the eastbound lanes, the deputy immediately used a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver to stop the vehicle. After making contact, the stolen SUV went back into the median before coming to a stop.
The county sheriff’s office said a Fowlerville Police Department officer used a PIT maneuver shortly after it crossed a median and began driving toward oncoming traffic on I-96.
Several patrol cars then surrounded the suspect.
Along with the SUV, the license plate was also stolen. It belonged to a vehicle out of Detroit. The Toyota was reported stolen out of Southfield.