CALHOUN COUNTY (WWJ) — An early morning encounter between a hunter and a fugitive on the opening day of firearm deer season led to a man’s arrest in Southern Michigan.
Michigan State Police troopers with the Marshall Post are investigating the incident, which happened early on Friday, Nov. 15.
The incident began when a hunter was out in the woods for the first day of firearm season and spotted a man near his four-wheeler, according to MSP. The hunter told police the other man was “looking suspiciously” at the ATV.
The hunter called out to the man and they had a brief conversation, MSP officials said. Concerned, the hunter called 911 to report the suspicious activity/
“Unbeknownst to the hunter,” MSP officials said, he had just come across a fugitive who was the subject of an active manhunt.
Police had been searching for the suspect, who had numerous outstanding warrants and was involved in what MSP called “a dangerous hit-and-run incident” earlier Friday morning on Michigan Avenue.
Officers from multiple agencies — MSP, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Emmet Twp. Police Department and tribal police — had all been in the area searching for the fugitive, who had fled from the scene of the crash on Michigan, near 12 ½ mile road.
MSP officials said he had previously rammed a car his girlfriend was in multiple times and followed that car on Michigan Ave while driving erratically. At some point, that erratic driving caused a multi-vehicle crash, sending his car off the road and disabling it.
He fled the scene, running into the nearby woods, where he would later be spotted by the unsuspecting hunter and owner of the ATV.
The 28-year-old Battle Creek man was ultimately arrested nearby and taken to the Calhoun County Jail. In addition to the prior warrants, he is now facing multiple new charges, including assault with a vehicle, according to MSP.
The man’s name has not been released.
Officers said they “are grateful to the hunter for quickly contacting 911 and helping law enforcement track down this dangerous individual,” MSP said in a press release.
“As deer hunting season begins, we are reminding outdoor enthusiasts to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately. This arrest marks a successful conclusion to what could have been a much more dangerous situation, thanks to the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and an alert hunter,” the release said.