Man Dies After Fleeing From Police Through Battle Creek Sunday

More information has now been learned about a police chase Sunday that involved several agencies and crossed two counties.

The Emmett Township Department of Public Safety says that around 4:20pm Sunday, their officers were called to the 900 block of E Michigan Ave. in Emmett Township for a medical emergency; a driver of a vehicle was found slumped over the wheel. As officers approached the man, who was thought to be under the influence of some unknown substance, he suddenly came to and started driving away; reportedly, the driver struck a Lifecare ambulance medic as he was fleeing.

The chase continued through Battle Creek and entered Barry County, with the suspect reportedly throwing controlled substances from the vehicle. The chase eventually ended near Hastings, and the driver was taken into custody. Police also found several packages of methamphetamine.

Shortly thereafter, the suspect, a 45-year-old Kalamazoo man, started experiencing a medical emergency and entered cardiac arrest. CPR was started but it didn’t work, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Michigan State Police is now investigating this incident further, and an autopsy will be conducted because it’s thought drugs and/or alcohol were involved.