It’s been said many times that I am cozy with the Ypsilanti Courier. As two of their crack journalists have left the Courier to start up the Ypsilanti Citizen, it is now being said that I am cozy with the Citizen. Look, I’m not going to deny it, however, rather than “cozy”, I like to use the phrase “have a cordial working relationship”.

The fact of the matter is that sometimes even mobile journalism can’t keep pace with me. As a result, I offer you this update from last night’s police chase throughout the East Side of Ypsilanti.

From my anonymous source close to the investigation:

Around 10:30PM on Sunday night, the Ypsilanti Police Department was notified that Van Buren Township Police were in pursuit of a vehicle travelling westbound on Michigan Avenue. The fleeing driver was under suspicion for retail fraud. Van Buren Township Police terminated their pursuit, but the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department picked up on vehcile and began chase. Ypsilanti Police Department officers were advised not to engage or parallel. The fleeing driver then began driving in circles through alleys in the neighborhoods of North River, East Forest, Stanley, and Gorden Streets. This continuted for more than 10 minutes while agencies were trying to locate Stop Sticks.

At one point, the driver went down a street toward North Prospect, when a resident, listening to the chase on a scanner, proceeded to come off his porch and fire one shot at the fleeing vehicle in an effort to aide the chase. The intoxicated shooter stated that he was trying to shoot out the fleeing vehicle’s tires.

The pursuit continued for another five to ten minutes in the East Side with the driver finally abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot. He was later apprehended on East Forest. His vehicle contained a stolen stereo system.

A YPD search of the shooter’s property as well as the vehicle did not find any evidence of bullet impact.

The moral of this story besides don’t steal stereo systems is let the police do their job. The police are trained to handle this kind of activity and do not need citizen involvement to resolve these types of problems — no matter how drunk you are.