Troy man leads Macomb deputies on wild chase

MT. CLEMENS, Mich. – Around 6 p.m. Saturday a Macomb County Sheriff's deputy noticed the driver of a blue Ford F150 texting and driving on North River Road in Harrison Township.

"The deputy pulled him over after he was following traffic too closely, he appeared to be texting and driving," said Sheriff Anthony Wickersham of Macomb County Sheriff's Department. "It was a routine traffic stop."

The driver, 36 year-old Gary Karas of Troy, had a rap sheet and suspended license. The deputy also suspected Karas was intoxicated. When the officer asked Karas to get out of the vehicle, things got interesting.

Karas threw his truck into reverse and purposely backed into the deputy's patrol car. He then drove across a lawn and fled the scene.

"The driver went westbound on I-94, clocking in at speeds up to 100 mph, traffic was dodging and weaving around the pursuit," said Sheriff Wickersham.

Karas led police on a chase, running through a Metropolitan Parkway construction zone before turning southbound onto Union Lake Rd. A second sheriff car was broadsided by Karas's truck. No one was injured, but the crash did end the chase.

Deputies then had to use pepper spray to subdue Karas before arresting him and taking him into custody. He sustained injuries as a result of the crash and had to be brought to a local hospital for treatment.

Karas was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Clinton Township on four felony charges including, operating while intoxicated, fleeing and eluding, and assault with a deadly weapon.

This makes a total of four drinking and driving related offenses. He is currently being held in Macomb County Jail.