Ken Palmer

Lansing State Journal

STOCKBRIDGE TWP. – Michigan State Police were investigating a crash that claimed the life of an Ingham County Sheriff's deputy early today on a rural road near Stockbridge.

Ingham County Sheriff's Office Deputy Grant Whitaker, 25, was pursuing a vehicle eastbound on Dexter Trail about a mile east of M-52 when his patrol vehicle left the road and struck a tree, sheriff's officials said.

The incident happened shortly after 2 a.m. on the two-lane road flanked by trees and farm fields just north of the village of Stockbridge.

Michigan State Police were called in to investigate the accident and handle the criminal investigation involving the fleeing driver, who remained at large this afternoon, Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth said.

Sheriff's officials said Whitaker and another deputy were pursuing the suspect when the crash occurred about 2:11 a.m.

State police 1st Lt. Joseph Thomas, commander of the Lansing post, said the chase involved a driver in a white-colored, full-size sport utility vehicle and began on Chapman Road, west of M-52. The chase eventually moved onto eastbound Dexter Trail before crossing M-52.

A deputy in an unmarked sheriff's vehicle began chasing the suspect before Whitaker, who was in a fully marked cruiser, joined the chase and became the primary pursuit unit, Thomas said. That's consistent with sheriff's department policies, he said.

A traffic violation apparently triggered the initial pursuit, although the incident remained under investigation, he said.

Whitaker's vehicle went off the left side of the road and hit a tree, Thomas said.

It's not clear why the car left the roadway, although speed might have been a factor, he said.

Speed hadn't been determined, but Thomas said it's clear the vehicles were moving "in excess of the posted speed limit." Investigators hoped to get speed and other data from the vehicle's "black box," he said.

Whitaker had been with the sheriff's department for about 18 months and previously worked for the Stockbridge Police Department.