Yahoo Autos Video: Cop Jumps Into Stolen Jeep Wrangler 392 as Driver Takes Off
A police officer in Ferndale, Michigan went for a wild ride last month when a stolen Jeep Wrangler 392 took off from a traffic stop with the officer partially inside the SUV. Bodycam video uploaded to YouTube shows how the situation unfolded.
The V-8-powered Wrangler was initially spotted by officers in the area of 8 Mile Road and Livernois in Ferndale, where the vehicle was allegedly traveling in excess of 30 mph over the posted limit, according to The Oakland Press. Officers reportedly believed they were dealing with an intoxicated driver based on the erratic behavior behind the wheel. This led to what should have been a routine traffic stop, but things got out of hand quickly.
The driver, identified as 25-year-old Donald Brezzell, reportedly provided the responding officers with a suite of allegedly falsified documents, including a fake North Carolina driver's license and license plate; the tag shown on the truck appears to be a Michigan manufacturer's plate. The Jeep in question was stolen from White Lake Township earlier this year.
As officers returned to the vehicle after running the allegedly falsified information, Brezzell attempted to take off from the scene. One of the officers already had their arm inside the vehicle at this time, quickly grabbing hold of the SUV to avoid being crushed or dragged. The bodycam footage of the situation shows just how quickly the officer had to react to the situation, becoming engaged with Brezzell from behind the wheel. The officer pleaded with the suspect to stop the vehicle, insisting that they need to calm down in order to avoid a crash. The two men seem to jockey over the SUV’s shifter, with the 470-hp engine screaming all the while.
Brezzell was eventually forced to come to a stop inside a local Kroger parking lot, and was ultimately removed from the car by two officers despite resisting arrest. The officer who was stuck on the outside of the vehicle injured their knee during the initial part of the incident, according to officials, but has since made a full recovery.
Brezzell was charged with two counts of resisting and obstructing police, and fourth-degree fleeing and eluding, The Oakland Press reports. That's in addition to several open warrants coming out of Southfield, related to fraud and concealing stolen property. Brezzell previously served time for armed robbery and weapons charges, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Each of the charges in the Ferndale incident are a felony.
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