Police: Angry 82-year-old driver hits Michigan trooper because road was closed

82-year-old man taken into custody

EMPIRE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – An 82-year-old Michigan man bumped a state trooper with his SUV because he was angry about a road being closed for an Ironman triathlon, according to authorities.

Troopers around the state were assigned to secure traffic points in Benzie and Leelanau counties Sunday for the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, officials said.

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Two troopers from the Sault St. Marie post were assigned to the intersection of Plowman Road and M-72 in Leelanau County, police said.

An 82-year-old Empire Township man drove an SUV to the intersection at 10:22 a.m. Sunday, according to officials.

A trooper told the driver that the road's eastbound lane was closed and couldn't be crossed because of heavy bicycle traffic, police said.

The man got angry and began yelling obscenities at the trooper, according to police. The trooper told the man to turn his vehicle around, but he refused to comply, officials said.

When the trooper briefly turned away from the SUV, the man pressed his horn and drove at the trooper, MSP officials said.

The driver struck the trooper in the back of his legs, causing him to stumble, police said.

Another trooper in the area saw the incident and took the 82-year-old man into custody.

The trooper was not injured, according to authorities.

A trooper from the Cadillac Post took the 82-year-old to the Leelanau County Jail.

The man is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at 86th District Court.


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