Amtrak Truck Chase

[Firemedic Mike]

Michigan State Police as well as Berrien and Van Buren Sheriff's Deputies were chasing an Amtrak Utility Truck through Berrien and Van Buren counties in a high speed pursuit before it ended in a field outside Covert. Not sure if the truck was stolen or not.

[Jochs]

Covert is in Van Buren Co...and JT reported in yesterday's CSX location updates that he heard the Allegan Co. police wanting to contact Amtrak...they must have been called for assistance.

[Trainman223]

Must have been stolen.

[Jochs]

http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-highspeed ... 4528.story

[firemedic54]

The article doesn't tell a whole lot but based on the story it's probably safe to say the truck was being "borrowed" by unauthorized personnel.

[Trainman223]

The article doesn't tell a whole lot but based on the story it's probably safe to say the truck was being "borrowed" by unauthorized personnel.

Ha! "borrowed"

[Standard Railfan]

Some more detail is available on the WOOD TV8 website.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw ... ars-rammed

Sounds like quite a day for local law enforcement.

[J T]

How come I never get to see anything exciting like that when I drive through Hartford? It's always just a boring, sleepy community.

[Gary Losey]

COVERT, MI -- A 39-year-old Hartford man was arrested Friday on multiple felony charges after stealing two trucks, intentionally crashing into multiple cars and running from the police, according to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office.


A Hartford man led police on a chase through most of Van Buren County Friday night before becoming stuck in a blueberry field.
MLive File Photo

One driver suffered minor injuries when his vehicle rolled multiple times after being rammed by the Hartford man in a stolen Ford F-250 flatbed truck on M-40 highway.

Police said that the victim refused treatment at the scene and reported no other injuries.

Police said contact with the man began shortly after 6 p.m. when a white 1994 Ford F-250 flatbed farm truck was reported stolen in Porter Township.

While Van Buren County Sheriff's deputies were taking the complaint, it was reported by a Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol deputy that a vehicle matching the description of a similar stolen pick-up truck had hit a car and caused it roll on M-40. Police said this vehicle matched the description of a white 2010 Ford F-250 flatbed truck stolen in Lawton.

At the scene of the crash, police said they learned the driver of the stolen pick-up truck had hit another vehicle while on M-40.

"Deputies then put out an area broadcast to police agencies to be on the lookout for the stolen vehicle that was possibly involved in the felonious assault," a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff's office said.

Police said they later received reports that a white pick-up truck was seen near Bangor running vehicles off of M-43. The vehicle was then spotted in Hartford a short time later and officers from the Hartford Police Department attempted to make a traffic stop, police said.

"The suspect then sped off through the City of Hartford and then into areas of western Van Buren County and northeastern Berrien County," the press release said. "The suspect during the pursuit then drove off the roadway into a blueberry field along County Road 376 and County Road 703 in Covert Township and became stuck in the deep mud."

The driver of the stolen vehicle was arrested at 8:35 p.m.

A Van Buren County sheriff's deputy crashed his cruiser while responding to the crash in the blueberry field, police said.

Further investigation from Van Buren County deputies and Lawton Police found that after the driver stole the farm truck he broke into the Amtrak service building in Lawton and stole the keys to the second truck.

The driver of the stolen vehicle was arrested on charges of two counts of felonious assault with a vehicle, multiple counts of fleeing and eluding police, two counts of take and possession of a stolen vehicle, and operating while intoxicated by drugs, breaking and entering into a government building with other charges pending.

The suspect has been lodged at the Berrien County Jail and will be transferred to the Van Buren County Jail where he will be lodged on numerous felony charges.

Officers assisting with this arrest were from Coloma Township Police, Hartford City Police, Berrien County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police Niles and Paw Paw Posts, Covert Township Police and Covert Township Fire and Rescue.

The name of the Hartford man has not yet been released.

Theresa Ghiloni is a reporter at MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at tghiloni@mlive.com.

[pudgy]

Met the guy who had his truck stolen from the Lawton Amtrak service yard this week...truck wasn't significantly damaged...between 4 and 6 thousand dollars in damage. Most of it was to the railroad attached equipment.