Bloomfield Hills Police Use Taser on Erratic Motorist Who Wouldn't Comply

A 30-year-old man, who was Tasered by Bloomfield Hills police officers after leading them on a brief chase Saturday, is facing multiple felony charges, officials said.

In addition to fleeing and eluding, the man will likely face additional charges, depending on blood test results. His name is not being released pending formal arraignment, which could be delayed by lab test results.

Officers tried to stop the man on Woodward Avenue near the Quarton Road intersection about 11:30 a.m. after another motorist reported his erratic driving, police reports said. The driver refused to pull over and continued southbound on Woodward toward Old Woodward. He passed Maple Road before turning northbound on Woodward.

Officers saw the man shove what appeared to be pills in his mouth and saw him gulping liquid from a cup during the pursuit, reports said.

He pulled into a parking lot at 36440 Woodward and was cornered by two patrol cars. He refused commands to get out of the vehicle and was pulled out by the officers. An officer used his Taser when the suspect became more violent, reports said.

He was arrested without further incident and was taken to a nearby hospital for a precautionary evaluation. After release by hospital  he was taken to the police station for processing and then taken to the Oakland County Jail to await formal charges.

Police Chief Richard Matott said the incident will be reviewed as required by department policy whenever a Taser or weapon is used by an officer on duty. He said the preliminary information indicates that the officer properly followed department policy.

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