A man from Clarkston is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after taking three members of the Oxford Village Police Department on a chase Friday night through Lake Orion and Auburn Hills.
Sgt. Mike Solwold and reserve officer Mike Bono were patrolling the Sunoco Gas Station at S. Washington and Lincoln streets around 11 p.m. and observed Blake Alan Harlow, 22, driving up and down Lincoln St.
Driving a white 1997 Mercury Tracer, Solwold said Harlow pulled into the Oxford Veterinary Clinic on Lincoln, backed onto the sidewalk. That’s when they decided to see what he was up to.
When Solwold and Bono turned their lights on just south of the gas station on S. Washington, Harlow stepped on the accelerator and took off.
According to the sergeant., Harlow allegedly ran a red light at Drahner and M-24 and one at Atwater St. in Lake Orion.
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, which have spikes to puncture tires, at Silver Bell Rd. and Lapeer, but Harlow continued driving with two flat tires.
By the time the chase got down to The Palace where a large event was taking place, Solwold debated on calling the chase off, but he feared someone would get hurt if he didn’t.
With the assistance of Auburn Hills and Oakland County, they had traffic stopped around The Palace and deployed more stop sticks, but Harlow continued to drive on his wheel rims and 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 box Harlow off again, forcing him onto the Baldwin Rd. exit.
‘We knew that was a good opportunity for him to loose control,? Solwold said.
Sure enough, Harlow couldn’t make a sharp turn on the exit ramp and the vehicle ended up on its side in a ditch nearby.
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 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 he’s still waiting for bloodwork to come back to determine if Harlow was operating under the influence of drugs.
‘This guy had drug crime, after drug crime on his record,? he said.
While in custody, the sergeant said Harlow confessed to robbing the Sunoco Gas Station on Lapeer Rd. in Lake Orion Nov. 28.
Harlow is facing felony charges of fleeing and elluding, resisting and obstructing an officer and a misdemeanor charge for driving while his license was suspended.
Harlow is currently being held on a $50,000 cash bond without the option to post 10 percent.