By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR – A man who’d stolen a police car during a frantic drive that racked up a dozen criminal charges pleaded guilty last week to one felony and a drunken driving charge.
Police and prosecutors said Derek Micheal Wigington, 27, had racked up multiple felonies during a Jan. 19 drive in which he reportedly crashed into cars, trees and a utility pole before striking a vehicle in a neighborhood near Telegraph and Wick roads. Although he fled the scene where he’d crashed his truck into a car, Wigington returned when police arrived on the scene and attempted to drive off in a patrol car.
Police Chief Mary Sclabassi said an officer was injured when he was dragged by Wigington a few yards, before the patrol car was driven into a snow bank and Wigington was taken into custody.
Wigington was arraigned – first in 23rd District Court before being bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court – on a dozen charges including assault with a dangerous weapon, assaulting a police officer, failure to stop at an accident scene and possession of marijuana.
Wigington pleaded guilty Wednesday before Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas to unlawful driving away of a vehicle, a felony, and to a second offense of operating under the influence of liquor. Sentencing was scheduled for May 6.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected])