First in nightly news, a Michigan State Police trooper got help from citizens in subduing a suspect after a police chase on the U.S. 31 freeway. In the other case, a Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputy chased a stolen vehicle into Indiana where the vehicle crashed and killed a driver in a pickup truck.
The incident on the U.S. 31 freeway occurred last Monday, Feb. 29 around 8:40 a.m. according to Michigan State Police. 21 year veteran MSP Trooper Garry Guild attempted to stop a motorcycle traveling south on the freeway near Matthew Road in Berrien Township.
The motorcycle driver, later identified as Michael Barber, 21, of Gobles, was eventually stopped near the Niles-Buchanan Road exit in western Niles Township when he lost control and crashed. Barber then charged toward the trooper and was assisted by his brother, Travis Wise, 19, of Middlebury, Ind. who drove up in another vehicle.
Guild was attacked by both Barber and Wise who attempted to both choke him and punch him in the face. Two people passing by, an unidentified man from Plainwell and Berrien Springs resident Jerry Burnham, stopped and ran to the trooper’s rescue. They were able to subdue Wise while Guild first arrested Barber and then Wise.
Barber and Wise were arraigned last Tuesday, Feb. 21, in Berrien County Trial Court and face court dates this week and next. They were scheduled for pre-exam conferences Wednesday and preliminary hearings next Tuesday, March 7 in Niles.
Barber is charged with assault by strangulation, a 10 year felony; third degree fleeing and eluding, a five year felony; resisting and obstructing police causing injury, a four year felony; receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, a five year felony; and attempted disarming a police officer (taser), a two year felony.
Wise was charged with assault by strangulation, resisting and obstructing police causing injury, attempted disarming a police officer (taser) and obstruction of justice, a five year felony.
Guild was treated for injuries and released.
In addition to the two civilians, Guild was assisted by members of the Buchanan Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and Pokagon Tribal Police.
Last Tuesday, a Niles man was arrested after a high speed chase that started on Michigan 51 south of Niles and ended on the Indiana side of the state line on State Road 933 near Darden Road.
James Morrison, 39, of Niles, was arraigned Thursday in St. Joseph County, Ind. on one count of causing death while operating a motor vehicle, three counts of causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle and one count of resisting arrest.
Published reports indicated that court records showed that Morrison had heroin in his system at the time of the crash.
The incident began last Tuesday afternoon when Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Walls saw Morrison driving a Chevrolet Blazer which was believed to be stolen about 1.5 miles north of the state line and tried to stop him.
Morrison did not stop and sped away at a high rate of speed. He is believed to have been going between 80 and 100 miles per hour when he hit a pickup truck at the Darden Road intersection. The impact split the truck in half and killed the driver, a South Bend resident.
Morrison and three passengers in his vehicle were injured in the crash which closed down the highway for several hours. The Chevrolet Blazer was reportedly stolen at the Niles Speedway gas station Feb. 17.
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