2 Good Samaritans Rescue Michigan Trooper From Violent Attack

A Michigan state trooper survived a roadside attack Monday by two brothers — one he had been pursuing on a 3-mile chase and another who jumped out of a car to join in the attack — thanks to two Good Samaritans. Vehicles whizzed by the scene on U.S. 31, but two men finally stopped to assist the trooper, the Michigan State Police said.

The heroes — Jerry Burnham, 44, of Berrien Springs and a 50-year-old Plainwell man who asked not to be identified — pulled the men off Trooper Garry Guild and assisted in subduing them so Guild could place them under arrest, according to a news release.

Guild attempted to pull over a suspected stolen motorcycle operated by Michael Scott Barber, 21, of Gobles, Michigan, around 8:43 a.m. Monday on the U.S. 31 bypass in Berrien Township, State Police said. After a 3-mile chase, Barber pulled into the soft grassy median between the exit ramp and the highway and lost control. Baber “quickly returned to his feet and charged toward” the trooper, according to the news release.

“He continues toward me and I realized that I can't use deadly force because he's not aggressive and has no weapons,” Guild told MLive.com. “I pushed him away with my left hand, into view of (my vehicle's) dash camera and ordered him to get on the ground.”

As Barber began to fall backward, Guild landed on top of him and the two men wrestled. During the struggle, Barber’s half brother, Travis Tyler Wise, 19, of Middlebury, Indiana, tossed a bottle as he drove by the scene, then got out and joined the fight, police said.

“I'm looking down, straddling while fighting with him and at some point I get knocked back and feel someone around my neck,” Guild told MLive. “I'm put in a choke hold and violently pulled off the motorcycle rider, and I don't know where this person came from.”

Police said that as Wise choked the trooper, Barber fled the scene on foot, then returned to join is brother in the attack. He reportedly punched Guild in the face while his half-brother was choking him. Guild said he could feel his attacker reach for his gun holster, which became dislodged.

“I'm thinking, ‘Alright this is a deadly force situation, I'm going to have to get to my secondary backup weapon,’” Guild said. “At the same time, I'm losing consciousness.”

Just in time, Burnham and the Plainwell man stopped their vehicles to assist the trooper. Police said Guild handcuffed Barber while the two civilians subdued Wise. Michigan State Police Lt. Melinda Logan told MLive “it took pretty special people” to help the trooper.

“They stopped when other people were not stopping to help a police officer who was being attacked by two people,” Logan said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “Without regard for their safety, they came in and rescued the trooper until he was able to gain control of the suspects and place them under arrest.

“Without them, I don’t know what would have happened to the trooper.”

Both men were eventually placed in the back of Guild’s cruiser, but Barber managed to unlock the doors and escape and was briefly on the lam until a backup trooper tackled him and placed him in leg restraints, police said.

Guild said he is grateful to the two Good Samaritans.

“I later spoke to them and they couldn't understand how someone could drive by and not do anything,” Guild told MLive. “They felt it was the part of (being) a good citizen to help police when being attacked.”

Neither suspect was injured. Guild was treated at a nearby hospital for a compressed throat and injuries to his face but didn’t require hospitalization.

Barber and Wise were arraigned Tuesday in Berrien County on charges of assault strangulation, a 10-year felony; attempting to disarm a police officer, a two-year felony; and resisting and obstructing a police officer causing injury, a four-year felony.

Additionally, Barber was charged with two additional five-year felonies — third-degree fleeing and eluding and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, police said.

Wise’s bond was set at $100,00 cash or surety, while bond for Barber was set at $75,000 cash or surety. They will next appear in court March 1 for a preliminary exam conference. A March 7 pre-exam hearing is scheduled.

Additional charges may be filed. The motorcycle had been reported stolen from Van Buren County, where police were investigating a rash of breaking-and- entering complaints.

Michigan State Police photo