Car Being Chased By Police Crashes Into Popular Restaurant
WEST BLOOMFIELD (WWJ) - A police chase across several cities ended after the suspect crashed through the front of a popular Oakland County restaurant.
Restoration crews have boarded up the corner of Champps Restaurant at Orchard Lake and 14 Mile roads after a car being chased by police went out of control early Thursday morning.
According to police, the situation started around 2:45 a.m. after a 31-year-old man sped away from officers who were trying to make a traffic stop in Beverly Hills. Police gave chase until they reached the area of 12 Mile and Greenfield roads and notified neighboring departments.
A short time later, a Southfield police officer observed the same vehicle driving at a high rate of speed westbound on 12 Mile Road near Telegraph Road. Police said the suspect ran a red light and drove the wrong way on Telegraph Road, noting that officers were not in pursuit at this time.
Southfield officers then caught up with the suspect on Northwestern Highway, just north of 12 Mile Road, and attempted to stop the vehicle. Again, police said the suspect ignored officers and continued fleeing on Northwestern Highway.
The suspect started to lose control of his vehicle near Orchard Lake Road, where police said he failed to negotiate a turn. Reporting live from the scene, WWJ's Mike Campbell said the suspect drove across the Orchard Lake Road median, up over the curb and through the parking lot before striking a tree and crashing into the restaurant.
Police said the suspect was taken to Botsford Hospital with significant but non-life threatening injuries. No one else was injured.
The suspect, whose name was not released, was arrested but released upon being admitted at the hospital, pending the issuance of a warrant.
Police said at this time, they're still not sure why the suspect fled from officers. An investigation is ongoing.
