HILLSDALE, MI (WTVB) – An early morning chase that began in Hillsdale and ended after a Homer man rammed several police cruisers before crashing into a utility pole in Allen could land that man in prison for up to 10 years.
Police say 25-year-old Ellis Lonzo Howard II ran a red light in the city of Hillsdale around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Hillsdale City Police attempted a traffic stop, but they say Howard took off at a high rate of speed and fled with officers in pursuit.
Speeds reportedly reached over 100 miles per hour as Howard led officers down back country roads once out of the city of Hillsdale before he eventually found his way to U.S. 12 where he turned westbound towards Branch County.
As officers were attempting to deploy stop-sticks to bring Howard’s vehicle to a controlled stop, he rammed two city of Hillsdale police vehicles and a Michigan State Police cruiser.
Howard was arraigned Wednesday on four counts of felonious assault for ramming the police cruisers, two counts of malicious destruction of private property, second-degree flee/elude police and operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily impairment.
Officers say they believe Howard was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol at the time of his arrest. A female passenger in his pickup truck was seriously injured in the crash and required hospitalization.
After ramming police cruisers, Howard crashed into a utility pole at U.S. 12 and M-49 in Allen, knocking out power for several hours. The utility pole was snapped in half and had to be replaced by Consumers Energy.
Howard, who is on misdemeanor probation out of Calhoun County and has a pending criminal case in Jackson County, was also charged with driving without insurance and driving while license suspended.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted as charged.
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