Police arrest juveniles in connection with Eastpointe stolen car case

EASTPOINTE — Earlier this month, Eastpointe police responded to an incident where three suspicious individuals were peering into a car parked in a driveway. The situation escalated when police arrived and the suspects fled in a getaway vehicle with three more suspects, leading police on a chase that reached its climax when the suspects crashed. After a chase on foot, all six were caught, and police seized firearms, drugs and stolen goods from them, as well.

Now, two of the six suspects have been charged by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. All six suspects are juveniles, so their identities will not be released. At least two are facing multiple felony charges. The other four will have pretrial hearings at a later date, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

 

The incident

Police were called to a home in the 15000 block of Charles R Avenue at around 1:30 a.m. April 3. When police approached the three individuals looking at the car in the driveway of a home, they ran back to a silver Hyundai with a broken rear window and no plate, which sped off. Police canvassed the area and located the vehicle traveling on North Park Avenue near Grove Avenue. Police tried to pull over the suspect vehicle, but it continued driving.

The chase that followed ended with the Hyundai crashing in the area of 10 Mile Road and Saxony Avenue, which is a little east of Gratiot Avenue. The six suspects, all between the ages of 14 and 17, fled the damaged car on foot.

After arresting the suspects, police determined that the getaway vehicle had been reported as stolen. Also, police recovered from the suspects and vehicle two semiautomatic handguns, marijuana, multiple ski masks and gloves.

“Luckily, no one that was involved in this incident was injured,” Eastpointe Police Lt. Alexander Holish said in an email.

 

What’s next

Two of the six juveniles were arraigned the next day, April 4, by Macomb County Chief Referee Linda Harrison, where she granted the request of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office to detain the two of them. The pretrial hearings for the other four had not been set at press time.

One suspect — a 14-year-old — was charged with receiving and concealing a firearm, which is a 10-year felony; possession of burglar tools, a 10-year felony; receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, a five-year felony; fleeing a police officer, a five-year felony; carrying a concealed weapon, a five-year felony; altering identification marks on a firearm, a two-year felony; assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer, a two-year felony; and felony firearm, a two-year mandatory felony.

In addition to the felony charges, the 14-year-old suspect also faces additional charges including possession of marijuana, a one-year misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without a license, a 90-day misdemeanor; and curfew violation under 16 years old, a 90-day violation.

The other suspect charged so far is a 16-year-old, charged with four felonies: carrying a concealed weapon, a five-year felony; assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer, a two-year felony; altering identification marks on a firearm, a two-year felony; and felony firearm, a two-year felony.

In a prepared statement, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said the suspects’ alleged behavior made for a dangerous mix.

“It is deeply concerning when we see young individuals engaging in such reckless and dangerous behavior. The combination of stolen property, drugs and firearms poses a serious threat not only to themselves, but to the community at large,” Lucido stated. “Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods, and we will hold those responsible fully accountable for their actions.”