Driver tased after tussle with sheriff’s deputies

A Rochester Hills man was tasered early Thursday, March 15, and arrested in connection with resisting and obstructing a police officer and operating under the influence of drugs after attempting to evade sheriff's deputies, authorities said.

The sheriff's office said the a deputy on patrol about 1:14 a.m. in the area of John R and Briston Drive observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the lot of St. Mary's Church, in the 2600 block of John R. The deputy entered the lot and approached the vehicle, using his spot light. The sheriff's office said the drive then raised his head, looked at the deputy and started his vehicle and began driving forward.

The deputy notified dispatchers of the situation and activated his overhead lights to initiate a traffic stop when the vehicle, a blue Ford Focus, went through the parking lot and began driving in circles. The deputy said the driver slowed down as if he were going to stop after he sounded the patrol car's siren, but the man then drove away, heading north on John R at 35 or 40 mph.

The driver of the Ford was stopped after additional deputies arrived on the scene and boxed in the car to force it to stop on the right side of the road.

The sheriff's office said a tussle ensued when attempting to remove the driver of the vehicle.

"The driver was ordered to get out of his vehicle, but he refused to comply with the deputy's order," the office said in a release. "The driver stiffened up his body and began pulling away from the deputies. The deputies managed to restrain the driver and take him to the ground. The driver continued to struggle with deputies and a Taser was deployed. The subject then began to cooperate with deputies and he was taken into custody."

The sheriff's office said the driver was incoherent and possibly under the influence of drugs. Firefighters with the Rochester Hills Fire Department responded to the scene and evaluated the man's condition before he was transported to McLaren-Oakland Hospital for a blood draw.

The driver, 29, of Rochester Hills, was booked into the Oakland County Jail pending criminal charges.