School buses are running now, but last month, we were still spending long lazy days in the sun. Well, most of us that is. The Lowell Police Department was as busy as ever. During July, they received 198 complaints and responded to the following major incidents:
- 19 accidents
- 11 medical assists
- 14 calls to assist other agencies
- 1 drunk driver
Here are the details on some notable cases.
Disorderly Conduct on the Beach
An officer responded to a report of an intoxicated man passed out by the water near Pebble Beach Apartments. The man did indeed appear intoxicated and became argumentative with the officer. He seemed particularly displeased that the officer was the same one who had arrested him a month earlier for two outstanding warrants.
Because of the man’s belligerent and hostile behavior, he was eventually arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct and resisting a police officer. The man pled guilty to the charges.
Harassment via Tinder
A mother brought her daughter to the police station. She was concerned her daughter was being harassed and didn’t know why men kept trying to contact her. The daughter apparently had a Tinder profile that was attracting the attention. A report was taken on the alleged harassment.
Faking Sickness During Traffic Stop
Two females were pulled over for speeding. When the officer reached the car, the driver clutched her stomach and said she was going to be sick. After further conversation, it was discovered that the driver did not have identification, had a suspended driver’s license and was subject to a warrant for failing to appear at a court date in Grand Traverse County. She was arrested for the warrant and driving on a suspended license.
Dog Attack
An officer responded to a reported animal attack. Apparently one dog entered a yard and attacked another dog. The officer could not locate the loose dog. However, he thought it had a similar description to an animal recently posted on Facebook as missing. The officer tried to contact that owner but received no response.
Juvenile with Marijuana in Car
A vehicle was pulled over for having a headlight out. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer immediately smelled burnt marijuana. There were five people in the car and multiple pieces of marijuana and paraphernalia. One occupant, a juvenile, admitted it was his.
The juvenile was charged with use of marijuana, but the prosecutor declined the case.
Bookseller Makes Rounds through City
An out-of-town bookseller spurred questions from community members who were concerned about his door-to-door sales tactics. The Lowell Police Department was contacted, but the bookseller had received a peddler’s license and was operating within what is allowed by the city ordinance.
“He just needed to work on his people skills,” was the conclusion of the police.
City of Lowell Victim of Fraud
It seems no one is safe from fraud, not even the City of Lowell. A subject from Grand Rapids was able to recreate some checks the City of Lowell had sent to pay vendors. The fraudulent checks were cashed, but the city has since been refunded. The police are unsure how the subject was able to get the account numbers to make the checks. He was charged with uttering and publishing, the crime that covers forgery.
Fireworks Violations Galore
It was the nation’s birthday in July and that meant people decided to set off fireworks, even when they weren’t allowed.
According to Michigan law and the City of Lowell ordinance, consumer-grade fireworks may only be used the day before, the day after and the day of a national holiday.
Suspicious Door-to-Door Roofer
Police received a call about people going door-to-door offering roof repairs. Apparently, one person tried to enter a resident’s garage. They drove away before the resident was able to record their license plate, and the officer was unable to locate the suspects.
Exuberant Person at Showboat Concert
The Lowell Police Department was contacted about a possibly intoxicated person at a concert on the Riverwalk. The man was jostling people in the crowd while he danced. An officer made contact and discovered the man had not been drinking. He was just being exuberant – or obnoxious, depending on how you look at it.
However, he did have a lit cigarette and was near someone using an oxygen canister. The officer advised him to move to a different area on the Riverwalk to avoid any possibility of igniting the oxygen.
Intoxicated Individual on Main Street
The police were called to Main Street upon the report on an intoxicated subject. When the officer arrived, the subject took off down the street. The officer pursued the individual, caught up and advised the person not return to the establishment he had just left.
The man was concerned that he had left some tobacco behind. The officer walked back with him to retrieve his tobacco and then escorted him off the premises.
Bike Stolen at McDonald’s
A worker at McDonald’s reported her bike stolen. The police have no suspects and have been unable to locate the bike.
Locked Out and Aggressive
Police were called to an apartment on the report of a domestic disturbance. Another resident noted he heard females yelling and a pounding noise. He said one of the females was intoxicated and in the hallway.
When the officer arrived, he found a female slurring her words and unsteady on her feet. She said she had been locked out of the apartment. Two other females were sitting on the back deck of the apartment. They too appeared intoxicated and said they had been locked out of the apartment as well.
The apartment manager was called to unlock the front door. The slider to the deck was blocked by a recliner that had been wedged against the door. The officer removed that so the other women could return to the apartment.
The female from the hallway became aggressive. Her blood alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit for intoxication in Michigan is 0.08. She eventually had be handcuffed and a leg strap applied because she was kicking at the officer.
The women was underage and charged with being a minor consuming alcohol.
Southern Crime Ring Makes Its Way to Lowell
Officers were called to Mercantile Bank for a fraudulent transaction. The teller had previously been alerted to attempts at another branch to cash fraudulent checks.
An officer tried to do a traffic stop of the suspected vehicle, but it took off again before the officer reached it. That may have been providential since these individuals were later found to be part of a crime gang from Florida and Georgia. This group is known for having a person with a gun waiting in the backseat should police try to approach.
Police pursued the subject’s vehicle up Lincoln Lake Road to Belding Road. Spike strips could not be deployed in time to stop the suspects, and the police discontinued the chase. While driving, the suspects ripped up the fraudulent checks and threw them out the window.
Later, the Kent County Sherriff’s Department responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle on the side of the road. One subject took off into the woods, but the suspects were apprehended.
One subject is cooperating, and the Lowell Police Department is working with Pennsylvania State Police, Michigan State Police and other jurisdictions on the case.
Faking Illness Never Works
Pretending to be sick doesn’t get suspects off the hook, as one woman discovered last month. A retail store reported a theft, and video footage was used to identify a suspect. The woman apparently took the stolen jewelry to a shop in Lansing and pawned it.
When questioned by police, the woman denied it and then said she was seriously ill and needed to go to the hospital. The officer took her to the hospital – where she was evaluated and released – and then took her to jail.
License Suspended for Non-Payment of Child Support
An officer stopped a car for having a taillight out. It was discovered the driver had a suspended license due to failure to pay court-ordered child support. He was cited and released.
Single Motorcycle Accident
One accident in the city involved a single motorcycle. The throttle became stuck, and the operator had to lay down the bike to stop it. He had only minor scrapes and refused medical care.
Fighting Over a Woman
Officers received a call of an assault and battery in progress. A male subject allegedly punched another man in the head. The officer was able to make contact with the suspect on the phone, and the men agreed to meet at a local gas station to discuss the matter.
The suspect said that he felt threatened and was acting in self-defense. He had seen his wife in a car with two other men, and the other man was driving up and down his road. The suspect was charged with assault and battery.
Intoxicated by Drugs
An officer pulled over a vehicle for having a headlight out and driving erratically. The driver had Xanax and a marijuana smoking pipe in the vehicle. Their blood alcohol level was 0.05, and the person was charged with operating under the influence of drugs.
Leave a Reply