22-year-old Tyler Fennema arrested, arraigned after allegedly threatening motorist

IONIA COUNTY — A road rage incident between two drivers on the freeway could have turned deadly Thursday afternoon. But instead it ended safely, thanks to collaboration by the victim, the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and Ionia County Central Dispatch.

A 911 operator received a call around 3:15 p.m. from a driver on westbound I-96, who said another driver had threatened her with an AK-47 while they were both traveling the freeway east of the scales. ICSO deputies and MSP troopers were dispatched to the freeway near the Portland exit, while the victim stayed on the line with Central Dispatch to report the vehicle’s location as the suspect continued to drive.

The suspect, Tyler Fennema, a 22-year-old man from the Grand Rapids area, exited the freeway at Ionia (exit 67) in an attempt to evade police. He was successful for a time, ICSO officials said, until he was spotted at Grand River Avenue near Hastings Road, close to the Ionia/Kent county line. Deputies and troopers conducted a felony stop — or “high risk stop” using additional precautions for their safety, and Fennema was taken into custody and lodged at the Ionia County Jail. Officials said no one was injured during the incident.

A search of the Fennema’s vehicle turned up an AR-pistol with stock, which resembled an AK-47, a 9mm handgun, and ammunition for both firearms, according to the ICSO.

Fennema was arraigned Friday in Ionia County 64-A District Court on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, felony firearms, and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon. He is being held at the Ionia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

Ionia County Sheriff Dale Miller said he and his supervisors were “very impressed” with what he called “excellent cooperation between departments and the quality of the information Central Dispatch was putting out” to law enforcement.

“It just clicked. Everyone had an idea of what we were looking for; everyone knew the area so we could box (Fennema) in; before we stopped him (additional officers arrived) to assist the deputy making the stop,” said Miller. “It worked out real well.”

ICSO personnel are continuing to investigate to piece together what happened out on the freeway.

“We’re trying to clarify what traffic infraction happened where he felt he needed to point a gun at somebody,” Miller said, adding that Fennema has no criminal history. “I’m glad we were able to find the guy, confiscate his weapons and put him in jail.”

Also assisting at the scene was Reed and Hoppes Towing.