FeedsNorthville police officer recovering after crash
One suspect is in custody and two more are sought after a chase in Northville Township sent two police officers to the hospital.
John Werth, director of Northville Township Public Safety, said Ofc. Richard Babb suffered head injuries in the collision that took place early Monday morning. He underwent surgery later that day and was listed in stable condition.
“They’re monitoring him,” said Werth. “He’s showing good signs. He’s stable.”
The other officer, Daniel Jones, was transported to Providence Hospital in Novi, where he was treated and released.
The incident started in the parking lot of the Meijer’s Store on Haggerty and Eight Mile roads, said Werth. It was about 3:45 a.m. when officers checked the license plate of a car driving through the lot and found it had been stolen about five months earlier from Van Buren Township.
Officers initiated a traffic stop, but when they got out of their vehicle the suspects sped away, said Werth. They fled up Haggerty Road at a high rate of speed. Babb’s patrol car was blocking the intersection at Six Mile and Haggerty roads as the suspect vehicle approached with Jones in pursuit.
“They were following policy,” said Werth of the officers. “There was very little traffic at that hour.”
The suspects drove around Babb’s cruiser and he turned to pursue it. The other car rammed into the side of his vehicle.
“He didn’t have an opportunity to stop,” said Werth.
The three suspects abandoned the vehicle about a half mile to the south of the crash and fled on foot. Werth said all three were in their 20s, from Ypsilanti.
A witness saw one of the suspects in the same general area at
about 7:35 a.m., said Werth and he was taken into custody. He said police are following up leads to track down the other two suspects and hoped to have arrests shortly.
“We are investigating them for other crimes, too,” he said.
