Truck catches fire on M-15 in Brandon Twp. after allegedly following state police vehicle
BRANDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - A pickup truck caught fire after allegedly following a Michigan State Police (MSP) sergeant in Brandon Township overnight Thursday.
What they're saying:
State police say at 3:30 a.m., on May 8, a sergeant from the MSP Flint Post was driving when he saw a Toyota pick-up start following him. He made several turns only for the truck driver to continue following him.
The sergeant requested back-up and MSP and Oakland County Sheriff officers pulled over the driver on Ortonville Road (M-15) near Seymour Lake Road.
Police then say the driver was told to exit the vehicle but did not listen, leading to troopers boxing the truck in with their vehicles.
According to authorities, as police continued to box the suspect in, the pickup driver accelerated forward, ramming their bearcat, then reversed, ramming the sergeant's vehicle.
MSP said the man then shifted into 'drive' and held down the gas pedal until the truck caught fire.
The driver, identified as a 47-year-old male from Dearborn, got out of the truck as the flames grew and was arrested without incident, never speaking a word.
Dig deeper:
During the investigation, police say it was discovered the man had a mental health order and may have been having a mental health crisis.
The Dearborn man was put behind bars at the Oakland County Jail.
The Source: FOX 2 used information from Michigan State Police's social media for this report.