Chase leaves two sheriff’s deputies injured

Two Oakland County Sheriff's Office deputies were injured on Sunday, October 15, while chasing two men suspected of stealing items from a Rochester Hills department store who ran from authorities in the John R. and Hamlin Road area.

Deputies responded about 5:07 p.m. to the 2800 block of Rochester Road for a report of a retail fraud incident that occurred at TJ Maxx, 2711 S. Rochester Road. A citizen at the location attempted to stop the suspect vehicle from leaving the area by blocking the vehicle's path. However, the vehicle, a gray 2006 Dodge Charger, was able to get away and headed north on Rochester Road.

Deputies located the vehicle driving erratically while heading north on Rochester Road near Hampton Circle. Authorities were able to stop the vehicle at John R. and Hamlin, where the driver was taken into custody.

The sheriff's office said two passengers in the Charger exited the vehicle and ran westbound on Hamlin Road and into a wooded area. One of the passengers was stopped in the woods following a short pursuit.

The deputy who chased the passenger into the woods hurt his knee during the chase. He was transported to Ascension-Crittenton Hospital for treatment.

The second passenger was stopped as he ran across John R. Road and taken into custody. The second deputy sustained minor injuries to his shoulder and received a cut on his hand from a razor blade concealed in the passenger's pocket. The deputy drove himself to Ascension-Crittenton Hospital for treatment.

A detective responded to the store and continued the investigation. The sheriff's office said the men – a 28-year-old Northville man; a 53-year-old Redford Township man; and a 42-year-old Warren man – were suspected of committing retail fraud, or thefts, from various stores in the Hampton Village Center, in the 2800 block of S. Rochester Road.

The Dodge Charger, which was found to have a fraudulent registration tag, was impounded as evidence. The case is under investigation.

One of the injured deputies was placed off work due to his knee injury. The second deputy was cleared to return to work.