AUBURN HILLS (WWJ) Police arrested a Lake Orion man for his alleged role in a police chase and car crash that killed one and left another in critical condition.
Auburn Hills Police said, on Thursday (6/6/24) around 7 p.m., one of their officers witnessed a red 2020 Kia Forte traveling south on Lapeer Road at a high rate of speed. The officer in a fully marked police car initiated a traffic stop on the Kia just north of Lapeer West Road. The suspect, 38, picked up speed and fled from the officer, eventually reaching 88 miles per hour.
The Kia drove further south on Lapeer “over a small hill” toward Walton Boulevard. The officer saw smoke coming from the intersection of Lapeer and Walton Road/Perry Street, according to police.
When he went to the intersection, police said the officer learned that the red Kia crashed into a tan 2002 Ford F-150. The suspect ran away from the scene. A woman riding inside the Kia was found at the scene in critical condition. The man driving in the Ford F-150, 68 of Auburn Hills, became trapped in the vehicle, and first responders had to extricate him. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died.
The passenger of the Kia remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Officers and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, K-9 teams attempted to find the suspect, who evaded police for nearly 24 hours. Around 5 p.m. on June 7, 2024; police said a “vigilant citizen” called 911 when they witnessed a man lying down in a wooden area about half a mile from the crash site. He will be lodged at the Oakland County Jail while he awaits charges from the Oakland County Prosecutors Office. His name will be released after his arraignment.