Man who fled police, crashed into cruiser sent to prison

Ronald Hunter with his attorney, Doug Springstead.

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.

HART — A 32-year-old Montague who fled police in an alleged stolen truck, crashing into a police cruiser during a high-speed chase last April was sentenced to one-and-a-half to five years in a Michigan Department of Corrections prison Monday, June 8, in 27th Circuit Court.

“I messed up,” Ronald Lawrence Hunter told Judge Anthony Monton. “It was a mistake for taking off from the cops.”

Hunter, who was initially charged with fleeing and eluding police; felonious assault; malicious destruction of police property and operating under the influence of drugs, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree fleeing, resisting and obstructing police in 78th District Court, April 27, according to court personnel. His other charges were dismissed, and he was bound over to circuit court for sentencing.

A stolen vehicle charge was also pending in Muskegon County in connection to the incident. Muskegon County court personnel could not immediately be reached for comment regarding the status of that charge.

Hunter reportedly stole a pickup truck in Montague, which he struck a sheriff’s patrol car with during the chase and rolled it over after striking a utility pole on South 88th Avenue near Cleveland Road in Grant Township.

Hunter, who is lodged in the Oceana County Jail, received credit for 51 days served. He was also ordered to pay nearly $1,400 in restitution to OCSO for the damage to the police cruiser, along with fines and costs of $198.