Attempted catalytic converter theft suspects crash after chase
Two Detroit men accused of trying to steal a catalytic converter in Ferndale and nearly striking two police officers as they fled have a court hearing Wednesday where they face multiple felonies.
Randall Mitchell, 40, remains jailed on $250,000 cash bond, while his alleged accomplice, Darius Jones, 43, is free after posting a $25,000, 10 percent, bond.
Police said they got a call from a witness at 3:52 a.m. last Thursday in the 2400 block of Burdette Street, in an industrial area southwest of Woodward Heights and Hilton Road.
“The witness heard the sound of a saw and looked out and saw a pickup truck he didn’t recognize in the lot and called police,” said Ferndale police Public Information Officer Jillian Mahlmeister.
Police officers arrived and walked into the parking lot.
Jones was underneath a commercial van with a catalytic converter next to him,” Mahlmeister said. “He ran and got into the Ford F-150 that Mitchell owns and was driving.”
Mitchell quickly backed up, nearly hitting an officer, and struck a parked vehicle, police said.
Police shouted commands for the driver to stop, but said Mitchell drove forward and nearly hit another officer.
Mitchell, with Jones in the passenger seat, drove south on Burdette.
Ferndale police activated their emergency lights and sirens as they chased the suspects in the Ford pickup.
The chase continued into Detroit, where police said the pickup crashed into a lane divider at the Lodge freeway and Hubbell Street.
Police said both suspects got out of the disabled F-150 and ran away.
However, Mitchell and Jones were arrested nearby and there were no injuries, police said.
Two catalytic converters were in the bed of the pickup truck, Mahlmeister said.
Police know those converters weren’t stolen in Ferndale, but are still trying to identify where they came from, Mahlmeister said.
In Ferndale police said the converter was removed from the parked commercial van with a Sawzall reciprocating saw.
Police said they recovered burglary tools and a police scanner inside Mitchell’s F-150.
After the crash, police said one of the suspects had his cell phone on and was monitoring a police scanner for Detroit police radio calls.
The suspects were arraigned Friday before Ferndale 44th District Magistrate J. Patrick Brennan.
Mitchell is charged with two counts of felonious assault, fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing police, and attempted larceny from a motor vehicle.
Jones is charged with resisting and obstructing police, and attempted larceny from a motor vehicle.
Both suspects have prior felony convictions on their record, police said. Mitchell’s convictions include drug possession, receiving and concealing stolen property, carrying a concealed weapon, and being a felon in possession of a gun.