A man from Clarkston accused of robbing a gas station in Lake Orion last month is facing multiple criminal charges after allegedly taking three members of the Oxford Village Police Department on a chase Friday night that ended at I-75 and Baldwin Road.
Blake Alan Harlow, 22, is facing felony charges of third-degree fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing a police officer along a misdemeanor charge for driving while his license was suspended (second offense). He’s also charged with one count of armed robbery related to the Nov. 28 robbery of the Sunoco station in Lake Orion.
Sgt. Mike Solwold and reserve officer Mike Bono were patrolling around the Sunoco Gas Station in Oxford at corner of S. Washington and Lincoln streets around 11 p.m. and observed Blake Alan Harlow, 22, driving up and down Lincoln Street.
Solwold said he makes it a priority to ‘keep an eye? on local businesses, like the gas stations and party stores, as they are closing.
Driving a white 1997 Mercury Tracer, Solwold said Harlow pulled into the parking lot of the Oxford Veterinary Hospital (6 Lincoln St.) and backed onto the sidewalk. That’s when officers decided to investigate the situation.
When Solwold and Bono turned their emergency lights on just south of the gas station on M-24, Harlow allegedly hit the gas and took off.
According to the sergeant, Harlow ran a red light at Drahner and M-24 and one at Atwater St. in Lake Orion.
Oxford Village Officer Mark Lampkowski joined the chase at Clarkston Rd., where they both tried to ‘box-in? Harlow and stop the vehicle.
‘We got him to spin out and his car was perpendicular to M-24 in the southbound lane,? Solwold said. ‘I jump out of my car, gun drawn, he backs up and goes again.?
According to the police report, Harlow was ‘fleeing at speeds of 70 mph.?
An Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy who was called to assist with the chase deployed stop sticks at Silver Bell and Lapeer roads to puncture the suspect’s tires, but police said Harlow continued driving with two flat tires.
By the time the chase got to The Palace of Auburn Hills where a large event was taking place, Solwold debated calling off the chase, but he feared someone would get hurt if Harlow wasn’t immediately apprehended.
With the assistance of sheriff’s deputies and Auburn Hills Police, law enforcement stopped traffic around The Palace and deployed more stop sticks, but police said Harlow continued to drive on his wheel rims onto the southbound I-75 ramp, where he allegedly ran over orange cones and almost hit a lighted directional arrow sign.
‘He took the Flint exit northbound on I-75 and is just throwing sparks and he’s probably going 34-40 miles an hour,? Solwold said.
Lampkowski and Solwold were able to force Harlow onto the Baldwin Road exit ramp.
‘We knew that was a good opportunity for him to loose control,? Solwold said.
Harlow couldn’t make a sharp turn on the exit ramp causing the vehicle to end up on its side in a nearby ditch.
After officers from Auburn Hills, Lake Angelus and sheriff’s deputies helped Solwold, Bono and Lampkowski surround the car, Harlow allegedly began to wave what appeared to be a silver and black handgun, but it ended up being a toy.
‘At that time, we broke a window, tased him, dragged him out of the car and took him into custody,? Solwold said. ‘The whole time he kept saying ‘Why don’t you shoot me? Why don’t you kill me???
According to Solwold, various drug paraphernalia was found inside the vehicle and he’s still waiting for bloodwork to determine if Harlow was operating under the influence of any controlled substances.
Harlow has a history of drug-related crimes, according to the sergeant.
‘This guy had drug crime after drug crime on his record,? he said.
While in custody, Solwold said Harlow confessed to robbing the Lake Orion Sunoco Gas Station Nov. 28.
Harlow was arraigned Monday in Rochester Hills 52-3 District Court on three felony charges and one misdemeanor.
He’s currently being held on a $50,000 cash bond for the armed robbery charge and a $10,000 cash bond for the charges out of Oxford.
The Oxford charges were bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court.
An exam regarding the armed robbery charge from Lake Orion is set for Dec. 18 in District Court