Eastpointe man, 48, arrested after 2 police cars rammed
Aug. 13—A 48-year-old Eastpointe man has been charged with assault after two police vehicles and another vehicle were rammed Wednesday, officials said.
Dartel Marlo Thomas was arraigned this week while at the Macomb County Jail on several charges, including assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assaulting/resisting a police officer and a count of malicious destruction of property, officials said.
A judge set Thomas' bond at $150,000.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for the assault with intent to do great bodily harm charge and four years for each of the assault with a dangerous weapon charge.
According to authorities, police were called at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday to a home on Nehls Street for a report of a domestic disturbance.
Officers learned a man, who they later identified as Thomas, had rammed a vehicle in his driveway with a Dodge Ram pickup truck three times and was yelling to call the police. It was later revealed the man was not allowed to be at the home because of bond conditions stemming from a previous domestic violence case.
Police said after ramming the vehicle, Thomas backed up his truck into the street and exited the vehicle.
Two Eastpointe police officers who responded to the report parked each of their vehicles in front of and behind the truck, officials said. Thomas got back into his truck, drove it into the front of one police vehicle and then backed up, striking the second police vehicle, they said. He continued to accelerate the truck, causing its tires to spin and create heavy smoke.
Officers removed Thomas from his vehicle safely. However, one of the officers sustained a broken thumb and the other suffered bumps and bruises, police said. Officials also said one of the patrol cars was totaled.
Investigators said Thomas has a history of domestic violence and asked officers why they did not shoot him. They said they believe Thomas wanted officers to kill him.
The incident was recorded from a home's security camera and police have released the footage.
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez
