By ANDREA POTEET
Sunday Times Newspapers
A three-city car chase that allegedly included two crashes – one of them involving a Southgate police vehicle – ended with the arrest of a 33-year-old Lincoln Park man March 15.
David Lee Viger was arraigned March 18 in 27th District Court on charges including resisting and obstructing police officers, driving with a suspended license, driving under the influence of alcohol, and reckless driving.
The chase began about 10 p.m. in Wyandotte, when officers saw a 1999 Dodge Ram swerving back and forth on 12th Street near Maple. It then ran a red light at 11th and Eureka and the officer attempted a traffic stop.
Instead, the truck continued on disregarding stop and yield signs and exceeding speeds of 50 mph in residential zones through Seventh Street to Eureka where it nearly struck another police squad car assisting in the chase.
It drove on Eureka at speeds surpassing 70 mph, nearly striking vehicles at 12th and 17th streets. It continued on Eureka into Southgate, where it allegedly collided with another vehicle and sped away. On Eureka in Taylor, it struck a Southgate police vehicle several times before coming to a stop on a median just west of the Interstate 75 overpass.
Officers surrounded the truck and commanded Viger to get out, but he did not. A Wyandotte officer broke the truck’s window with his baton, according to the report.
Viger was pulled out of the truck and to the ground but a Taser was applied when he declined to put his hands behind his back.
Viger refused to speak and his identity was only gleaned with officers found a state identification card in his pocket. A Healthlink ambulance arrived and checked his vitals, which were normal.
Viger smelled of alcohol but would not respond to requests for a preliminary breath test. Instead, officers called 27th District Court Judge Randy Kalmbach at home and he signed a warrant to draw the man’s blood.
Viger refused to walk out of the police car and had to be dragged to the booking area and into Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital for a blood draw.
On his way back to the squad car after leaving the hospital, Viger attempted to kick an officer and pepper spray was applied. He then spoke for the first time, saying, “All right. All right. I will stop and walk.”
According to the report, while being fingerprinted, Viger spoke again, this time to tell police this was only the second time he has been caught by police after fleeing from them “several times.”
He was arrested for operating while intoxicated, third offense; driving with a suspended license, second offense; and resisting and obstructing police.
Police Chief Daniel Grant said the results of the blood draw could take months.