Sterling Heights police cruiser stolen during wild chase through several Metro Detroit cities

Man steals police car while officers chase two men on foot, police say

DETROIT – A high-speed police chase started Tuesday in the area of M-59 and Van Dyke in Utica and involved multiple cars before ending in Detroit, according to authorities.

Police said the driver of an SUV was chasing a Ford Fusion when people bailed out of the Fusion. One person stole a police cruiser while officers were searching through neighborhoods for other suspects, police said.

A car weaves through traffic during the high-speed chase. (WDIV)

The wild chase spanned several cities, according to police.

"I opened up my door, look outside, see a helicopter -- I'm, like, 'Wow,'" one resident said.

The chase took several twists and turns as police kept up with the Ford Fusion until two people bailed out and ran in two different directions, officials said.

One of the men was easy to spot in his bright red pants as he ran through backyards and tried to find a way out, police said, but he couldn't escape the view of a helicopter.

"That just shows you how smart people are sometimes," one resident said. "You're eventually going to get caught, especially with a helicopter."

The man was eventually surrounded by police officers and taken into custody. The other man who ran from the Fusion was also arrested, police said.

A man was surrounded by police after fleeing on foot. (WDIV)

While officers were chasing the two men, a third person got out of the Fusion and stole a Sterling Heights police cruiser, according to authorities. He crashed on I-94 near 12 Mile Road in Roseville while a Macomb County Sheriff's Office vehicle ended up in the backyard of a home.

A Macomb County Sheriff's Office car crashed into a back yard. (WDIV)

Police said they're still trying to sort out everything that happened during the wild series of events.

You can watch the full chase below.

Sterling Heights police held a news conference Tuesday afternoon to talk about what happened -- watch here:


About the Authors:

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.