Warmer weather means more people are out and about. This correlates to more traffic stops and incidents for the Lowell Police Department. The month also saw the continuation of the Citizen Police Academy. Continue reading to learn about some of the things which kept the department busy during the month of March.
March Happenings
The Lowell Police Department assisted in six medical calls, four cases with Child Protective Services, and four accidents, one with an injury.
March was the first month the department used Data Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety to patrol specific areas at certain times. This has led to increased arrests and fewer accidents. Two years of data tracking incidents allowed the department to know when and where to patrol.
In a fraud and embezzlement investigation an employee was terminated at a local business. The business owner decided to dismiss the employee without pursuing any criminal charges.
A case of trespassing, stalking, and harassment involving two males and one female from Lowell over the end of a relationship. Personal property was thrown into the yard of a residence. Threats were exchanged related to a felonious assault case which happened earlier in the year.
A disorderly incident occurred at a gas station when payment by check was refused. The suspect threw donuts and coffee on a counter and drove off without paying for gas.
During a routine traffic stop a female was cited and released for driving with a suspended license. Appearance in court will be scheduled at a later date.
LPD received calls about trees blocking roadways during strong winds in mid-March. They assisted in moving them out-of-the-way of traffic until they could be removed.
During a routine traffic stop the driver and passenger were found to have warrants out for use of controlled substances including meth, vicodin, and marijuana. The passenger was smoking marijuana in the vehicle. The driver and passenger were arrested on the warrants and other charges could be added pending lab results.
An officer noticed a car driving with a headlight out and pulled the vehicle over. During the stop the driver and passenger switched places. The original person in the driver’s seat was found to have a suspended license. The individual was cited and released with a court appearance in court scheduled for a later date.
In another routine stop where a license plate was expired it was determined the driver also had no insurance. The officer noticed an open beer can behind the center console. After a consent to check the vehicle marijuana was also found. The driver was cited for having marijuana and open alcohol.
A vehicle was stopped for having a broken taillight. During the stop an officer smelled alcohol. A field sobriety test was performed where the driver’s blood alcohol level was .12. The 35-year-old male from Clarksville was also driving on a suspended license. He was arrested for drunk driving and taken to the Kent County jail.
On March 11 two officers investigated a male inside a running vehicle who was unresponsive. Two doses of narcan were given as it looked like the person was having an opiate overdose. Paramedics arrived but the person was later pronounced dead at the scene. Initial autopsy results indicate an opiate overdose. The department is still waiting the results of a toxicology report.
Two consecutive harassment complaints occurred in March. Threatening behavior between a father and daughter happened at a gas station where the daughter works. In both incidents the father was looking for property to be returned from his daughter.
An officer noticed a vehicle driving with high beams on. The officer flashed his lights to alert the driver and saw the vehicle was driving irrationally. The car was pulled over and the driver appeared to be highly intoxicated. This was the third drunk driving offense. During a sobriety evaluation the driver refused the roadside breathalyzer test. After being arrested and taken to jail a search warrant was issued in order to perform a blood test where results remain pending.
On March 17 a 2am traffic stop resulted in a 31-year-old male from Lowell having a .10 roadside blood alcohol level. It was .08 when tested after his arrest. This was his second offense.
A vehicle driving without headlights on was pulled over. It was found that the driver had a warrant out of Ionia and was arrested without incident.
In another St. Patrick’s Day celebration incident of drunk driving about six grams of marijuana was also found in the vehicle. The driver had a .21 blood alcohol level roadside and .20 when tested in jail.
In a case of an animal at large a child wat bit on the upper left hamstring by an unrestrained dog. The owner was placed on notice and cited by Animal Control.
Three sets of tires and rims were stolen from a local dealership. Other agencies in the GR area have reported similar cases. It’s suspected an organized group in the area is behind the theft but the case remains open.
In a case of retail fraud a store owner retained a juvenile for attempting to take 11 cans of spray paint totalling 74.08 for tagging (creating graffiti). Once in police custody the suspect was turned over to parents because of being a juvenile.
A stalking case involved a 40-year-old male harassing a woman from Lowell for approximately 10 months. Suspect has been evasive when it comes to questioning. He has been told to stop contact or be charged with stalking. The investigation remains open pending further contact between the suspect and victim.
A vehicle ran a traffic light and upon being pulled over it was discovered the driver had a suspended license. A citation was issued with an appearance in court scheduled for a later date.
Three incidents of malicious destruction of property were reported. The situation involved a neighbor dispute where a mailbox and contents were damaged while harassing a property owner. The suspect was interviewed and charges sent to the Kent County Prosecutor’s office where said charges were denied.
LPD assisted Kent County in a possible breaking and entering situation at a residence. There was no sign of a suspect upon arrival.
A teen called indicating a possible outbreak of a fight in a parking lot of an apartment complex. When police arrived the group of teens scattered and no fight was in progress.
A disorderly incident including a possible assault and theft was investigated. Two subjects refused to talk or press charges.
During a traffic stop where a vehicle veered over the center line a passenger in the car was issued a citation for the use of marijuana.
A subject out of Grand Rapids was stopped for speeding. There was no record attached to the plate on the vehicle, the car was unregistered and the driver was operating on a suspended license.
A disorderly domestic case involved a female tearing the inside of a residence apart, including throwing things into the road. The incident occurred in a trailer park and management was contacted. The situation was prompted by the male counterpart in the relationship being asked to clean up his property.
Nice one.