Police: Man with knives, metal bat threatened to kill people at bar
A Detroit man was ordered to stand trial Monday after police say he threatened to kill people at Rosie O’Grady’s bar and restaurant shortly after he was refused service because the business was closing for the night.
Police said suspect Deric Davis, 34, made the threat to a Sterling Heights man, 25, who was outside Rosie O’Grady’s at 1 a.m. Oct. 24 at closing time. The Sterling Heights man called police.
Police arrived and found Davis walking nearby, said Ferndale police Officer Jillian Mahlmeister. Officers later discovered the suspect was carrying three knives and an aluminum baseball bat.
“He ignored officers’ commands to stop and refused to raise his hands,” Mahlmeister said. “He continued to reach in his waistband and continued to walk away.”
The situation became tense as officers followed the suspect on foot. A folding knife either fell from or was dropped by the suspect as the walking pursuit began.
Four police officers at different times deployed Tasers to stop Davis but were unsuccessful, police said.
“The Tasers did not penetrate the skin (of the suspect), probably because of the clothing he was wearing,” Mahlmeister said.
Meantime, the witness who called police was walking behind police as they followed the suspect
Police said they continued to track Davis west on Nine Mile Road until they were near the Ferndale Foods market parking lot.
“At that point the witness tackled the suspect and it ended peacefully,” Mahlmeister said.
Besides the knife that dropped to the sidewalk, police said Davis had a knife with a four-inch blade he was carrying in a sheath on the waistband of his pants, and another folding knife with a three-inch blade.
Davis is free on personal bond. He is charged with carrying a dangerous weapon with intent, a fiveyear felony, and two counts of resisting and obstructing police, each a two-year felony. Davis’ criminal history includes a conviction for illegally carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of marijuana in Oak Park in 2012, according to Oakland County Circuit Court records. He served a total of 305 days in the county jail for the offense.
In Ferndale 43rd District Court on Monday, Davis waived his right to a preliminary examination on the evidence against him and he was ordered to stand trial in county circuit court. His arraignment date for trial is pending.