Attempted catalytic converter theft suspects to face felony trial
Police: 1 suspect nearly hit 2 officers with pickup truck
Two men accused of trying to steal a catalytic converter before one of them nearly ran over two Ferndale police officers and later crashed his pickup truck will stand trial on felony charges.
The alleged driver, Randall Mitchell, 40, Detroit remains jailed on $250,000 cash bond in the Feb. 16 incident.
Codefendant, Darius Jones, 43, of Detroit is free after posting a $25,000, 10 percent, bond.
Ferndale 43rd District Judge Joseph Longo at a preliminary examination Monday ordered the suspects to stand trial in Oakland County Circuit Court.
Mitchell is charged with two 10-year counts of felonious assault, felony fleeing and eluding, and attempted larceny from a motor vehicle.
Jones is charged only with attempted larceny from a motor vehicle, a five-year felony.
In Ferndale police said Jones removed a catalytic converter from a parked commercial van with a Sawzall reciprocating saw.
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.
Jones has prior convictions for first-degree criminal sexual assault, receiving and concealing stolen property, and auto theft.
Ferndale police said they got a call from a witness about 3:50 a.m. Feb. 16 the 2400 block of Burdette Street, in an industrial area southwest of Woodward Heights and Hilton Road.
The witness works in the area, told police he heard a saw buzzing, and looked outside to see an unfamiliar pickup truck in the lot.
When officers arrived Jones was underneath a commercial van with a catalytic converter next to him, police said. Jones left the converter behind, then ran and jumped into the passenger seat of Mitchell's Ford F-150, police said.
Mitchell was driving, police said, and quickly backed up. Police said he nearly struck an officer and hit a parked car.
Officers shouted commands for Mitchell to stop, but police said he drove off and nearly hit a second police officer.
Mitchell drove off south on Burdette, police said.
Ferndale police chased the suspects 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, both men were arrested nearby and there were no injuries, police said.
Two catalytic converters were in the bed of the pickup truck.
Police said the two converters weren't stolen in Ferndale, and police worked to try to find out where the converters came from.
Police said they recovered burglary tools and a police scanner inside Mitchell's F-150.
Ferndale police chased the suspects into Detroit, where police said the pickup crashed into a lane divider at the Lodge freeway and Hubbell Street.