SAGINAW (WWJ) - An Edible Arraignments delivery man had just finished dropping off a fruit bouquet on Saginaw's east side when deputies say he came under gunfire and was chased while driving on I-675 on Wednesday.
Saginaw County Sheriff William L. Federspiel told Mlive the 31-year-old Edible Arrangements employee was driving a delivery van when he made a stop at the Stop N Shop at 1227 Janes Ave. to buy a drink around 1 p.m. on Jan. 25.
Federspiel said the delivery man noticed several men sitting in the parking lot of the store as he pulled in and became nervous. He opted not to go inside the store and was attempting to leave when the men approached the van.
“As he was trying to leave the lot, one of the guys runs up to him and starts pounding on his window, saying he hit his car,” Federspiel said. “It scared the heck out of him.”
The 31-year-old continued to drive out of the parking lot and got onto northbound I-675 when he realized a silver car was following him. The victim told deputies that someone then produced a handgun and open fired at his van.
The delivery man continued driving, eventually losing sight of the silver car, and called 911 once he reached his workplace at 2910 Tittabawassee Road in Kochville Township.
The driver was uninjured in the incident, deputies said, but authorities found three bullet holes in the van during their investigation. All three projectiles were recovered, Federspiel added. Two were lodged in the passenger side door and one that had gone through and was found in the glovebox.
“He was scared to death when we got there,” Federspiel said of the victim. “It was a traumatic situation and he was very distressed when we spoke with him. We don’t know if they were trying to carjack him, rob him, or what.”
According to police, the victim said he did not recognize any of the men he saw outside the store.
The sheriff applauded the man for following his gut instinct and leaving the store when he felt uncomfortable. He urged others to be aware of their surroundings and trust when something doesn't feel right.
“Know where you’re at,” he said. “If something looks hinky, just leave, don’t stop. If you got a caution flag going up and you feel that sixth sense, listen to it.”
Anyone with any information about the alleged shooting has been asked to contact the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office at 989-790-5456.
The investigation is ongoing.