MONROE COUNTY, Mich. – A Monroe County sheriff’s deputy crashed into an icy river during a police chase.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy crashed into the River Raisin while pursuing a vehicle that did not stop when deputies attempted to pull them over.
Deputy Brandon Larkins attempted to stop a blue Ford F-150, driven by a 66-year-old Monroe man, at 11:13 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at North Dixie Highway and Sandy Creek Road in Frenchtown Township. The driver did not stop and the deputy gave chase.
They traveled west on North Dixie Highway, went south on Ternes Drive, west on Rose Street, and south on Detroit Avenue. When they reached East Elm Avenue, the Monroe man made a wide turn and sideswiped a utility pole. The Monroe man continued west on East Elm Avenue until he suddenly stopped at railroad tracks near North Dixie Highway.
The sheriff’s office said the Monroe man exited the truck and began to approach officers. They said he did not follow orders and was tasered before officers took him into custody.
During the chase, a sheriff’s office vehicle left the roadway at East Elm Avenue and Detroit Avenue and entered the frozen water in the River Raisin. The deputy was briefly trapped but was able to escape the vehicle.
The deputy and the Monroe man were taken to an area hospital where they were treated for minor injuries. The Monroe man has been arrested and is now being held at the Monroe County Jail on charges that include fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstruction, and operating while intoxicated.
The case is still under investigation by Deputy Brandon Larkins of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Uniformed Services Division. Anyone with information is asked to contact 734-240-7764.