Air quality across the state is being affected by wildfire smoke. Before heading outdoors, get information on current conditions and alerts at Michigan.gov/MiAir.
District 1 counties of service: Baraga, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon.
Sgt. Brian Bacon and Conservation Officer (CO) Steve Sajtar successfully rescued a stranded boater on Lake Michigan after being alerted to a capsized sailboat 10 miles north of Menominee Marina. The officers located the boater clinging to his capsized vessel and safely transferred him into their patrol boat. After confirming he had no injuries, the officers helped upright the sailboat and escorted the individual back to shore.
Late at night in rural Menominee County, CO Steve Sajtar stopped a vehicle reported to have picked up a woman who was screaming for help. Upon stopping the vehicle, the occupants informed CO Sajtar that the female passenger in the back seat had suffered a seizure, prompting the officer to immediately call for emergency medical services (EMS). While managing the medical emergency, CO Sajtar determined the driver had a revoked driver’s license and an active arrest warrant. In addition, the driver had been using alcohol and marijuana prior to operating the vehicle. Following failed standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) and a preliminary breath test (PBT) showing a 0.135% breath alcohol content (BrAC), CO Sajtar arrested the driver for operating while intoxicated (OWI), secured a legal blood draw at Bay Area Medical Center, and lodged the suspect at the Menominee County Jail.
District 2 counties of service: Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Mackinac, Luce, Schoolcraft.
While patrolling Menominee County, CO Matthew Bowser conducted a traffic stop on a side-by-side off-road vehicle operating illegally on a county road. After observing signs of intoxication, CO Bowser initiated an OWI investigation. Assisted by CO Steve Sajtar, CO Bowser arrested the driver for OWI and transported him to the Menominee County Jail for lodging.
Sgt. Robert Freeborn responded to a midnight call from the Michigan State Police (MSP) regarding lost anglers on the Fox River near Seney. After meeting with MSP troopers, Sgt. Freeborn attempted to reach the fishermen via an old skid trail, but thick, swampy terrain made direct access to the river nearly impossible. The MSP Aviation Unit deployed a drone to the anglers' location and instructed them to follow it to safety. Suffering only from mosquito bites, the uninjured fishermen were successfully guided to the officers' position and transported back to their vehicles.
District 3 counties of service: Alpena, Antrim, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Emmet, Montmorency, Otsego, Presque Isle.
Otsego County Central Dispatch notified CO Tom Oberg of a boating accident with injuries on a local inland lake. Arriving first on the scene, CO Oberg met the victim and family members at a lakeside campground and learned the victim had fallen off the back of the boat when the operator put the vessel in gear. The boat's propeller struck the victim’s foot, causing multiple lacerations. CO Oberg provided medical care until EMS arrived and transported the victim to Otsego Memorial Hospital.
While patrolling home from a training session, CO Sidney LaLonde spotted heavy smoke rising from a wooded area. Unfamiliar with the immediate surroundings, CO LaLonde used mapping software to identify the location as state land, where she discovered a van fully engulfed in flames that had spread to two acres of the surrounding woods. She successfully guided fire trucks to the scene to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported.
CO Dan Liestenfeltz and Sgt. Paul Fox responded to a small vessel that had taken on water and capsized in a lake in Otsego County. They threw a flotation device to the operator, brought them safely aboard their patrol boat, and towed the capsized vessel back to the owner's residence.
District 4 counties of service: Benzie, Grand Traverse, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Wexford.
CO Cameron Wright quickly resolved a water emergency on the Muskegon River after dispatch reported two kayakers had capsized and become trapped in a downed tree. CO Wright deployed onto the river within five minutes of the call, successfully located the distressed kayakers, and transported both individuals and their gear to safety.
While patrolling northern Newaygo County, CO Cameron Wright initiated a traffic stop on a speeding white pickup truck after witnessing the vehicle repeatedly cross the fog and center lines. CO Wright recognized the vehicle from an earlier hit-and-run incident in Fremont. Following SFSTs and the driver's refusal to take a PBT, the individual was arrested for OWI fifth offense and operating while license revoked.
District 5 counties of service: Alcona, Arenac, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Iosco, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Roscommon.
While patrolling Gladwin County, CO Josh Russell responded to an emergency report of a missing 4-year-old boy. The complainant expressed fear that the child had entered a large pond located behind the residence. Upon arriving at the scene, officers conducted a quick search of the house and successfully located the child unharmed, napping safely inside the home.
While patrolling northern Ogemaw County, CO Kyle Bader observed a custom-built off-road vehicle (ORV)—constructed from racing quad components mounted to a lawn mower frame—traveling approximately 50 mph down the center of the opposite traffic lane. CO Bader activated his emergency equipment, but the operator traveled more than a mile before coming to a stop. The driver was operating without a helmet, an ORV license, or a valid driver's license. CO Bader issued citations for three violations alongside warnings for the remaining offenses. He later noted that in his 18-year career, this was the first time he had ever radioed in a failing-to-stop lawn mower.
CO Nico Luna responded to a dispatch from Oscoda County Central Dispatch regarding a group of stranded tubers pinned against a fallen tree on the Au Sable River. The swift current was actively pulling the tubers underwater. Utilizing a jet boat, CO Luna assisted the Oscoda County Sheriff's Office in successfully rescuing the entire group from the river.
While patrolling a lake in Iosco County, CO Tyler Sabuda observed a speeding boat with a 4-year-old child standing in the bow. When the vessel struck a large wave, the impact launched the child into the air; fortunately, the child landed back inside the boat. Upon conducting a watercraft stop, CO Sabuda discovered that the child was not wearing a legally required life jacket. The officer issued a citation to the operator for the life jacket violation.
CO Ben McAteer conducted a targeted aquatic invasive species (AIS) patrol at Higgins Lake in Roscommon County to protect local ecosystems. During the detail, CO McAteer contacted numerous boaters for various resource violations, including transporting aquatic vegetation, failing to remove watercraft drain plugs, and failing to drain bilges and live wells. The patrol concluded with the officer issuing eight citations for the observed AIS infractions.
District 6 counties of service: Bay, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Montcalm, Saginaw, Sanilac, Tuscola.
While checking walleye anglers at the Caseville Marina, CO Cody Simmons counted 18 fish for two anglers. The limit is eight walleye per person in Saginaw Bay. CO Simmons seized the two-over-limit walleye and issued one citation for possessing over the limit of walleye. CO Simmons later donated the two seized walleyes to some elderly gentleman that were not lucky enough to catch anything.
During a late evening patrol in Isabella County, CO Mike Haas was driving through Mt. Pleasant and witnessed a vehicle in front of him that lacked a license plate. The CO conducted a traffic stop, and it was discovered that the vehicle was equipped with a device that could retract the license plate into the bumper of the vehicle. The driver stated that he drove all over the country for work and road tolls got expensive, so he installed the license plate device. During the stop it was determined that the driver had multiple felony arrest warrants out of the Upper Peninsula and numerous misdemeanors warrants from Michigan, Georgia, and California. Troopers with the MSP assisted on scene and the subject was arrested for his warrants and lodged at the Isabella County Jail.
CO James Rowley conducted a traffic stop on Belle Isle. The SUV did not have a license plate and was operating erratically. The driver did not have a license and stated he may have one or two traffic warrants. CO Rowley found that the driver had 33 warrants for their arrest from local agencies. CO Rowley placed the subject under arrest and turned him over to the local authorities who agreed to pick the individual up. The individual was cited for driving on a suspended license second or subsequent offense.
District 7 counties of service: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, St Joseph, Van Buren.
While checking anglers at the Allegan Dam, CO Sam Schluckbier contacted an individual with a large cooler containing several different fish species. After requesting to inspect the cooler, CO Schluckbier immediately identified a violation. The first fish he inspected was an 11-inch smallmouth bass. Once the cooler was fully emptied, eight bass, two channel catfish, one black crappie, and two sunfish were located. Three of the bass were under the legal minimum size limit of 14 inches. CO Schluckbier reviewed the relevant laws with the angler, who claimed he was unaware of what species or sizes he was allowed to keep. After a lengthy discussion, the angler became irate as CO Schluckbier issued citations for the violations.
While patrolling in Allegan County, CO Sam Schluckbier turned a corner and observed a Jeep stopped in the roadway. The passenger-side window was rolled down, and an unknown object was thrown onto the shoulder of the road. CO Schluckbier followed the vehicle for a short distance and noted that the driver appeared visibly intoxicated. After conducting a traffic stop and speaking with the driver, he requested Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, all of which the driver failed. The subject was arrested and lodged at the Allegan County Jail after recording a .226 blood alcohol content.
During a severe thunderstorm, CO Zach Bauer was flagged down regarding a tree that had fallen in the roadway and a subject lying next to it. CO Bauer arrived to find a motorcyclist who had been struck by a large limb. The individual had a severe laceration to the lower leg. CO Bauer applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and provided first aid until EMS arrived and transported the patient to the hospital.
CO Travis Dragomer contacted a group of anglers on the St. Joseph River with a cooler containing approximately 100 live rusty crayfish. The anglers had transported the invasive species from Fort Wayne, Indiana, for use as bait. CO Dragomer seized the crayfish and issued a citation for illegal use and possession of a restricted invasive species. CO Dragomer made a similar contact on the Galien River in New Buffalo, where he found a bait bucket containing roughly 20 live rusty crayfish brought from Elkhart, Indiana. Additionally, he advised one angler of an active non extraditable warrant out of Tennessee. The crayfish were seized, and a citation was issued.
While checking Maple Lake Dam in Van Buren County, CO Tyler Cole contacted an angler who had caught and kept a snapping turtle out of season. The turtle’s carapace measured 11 inches, two inches short of the minimum size limit of 13 inches. Because the angler had dispatched the turtle before the COs arrived, the turtle was seized and citations were issued for the violations.
COs Casey Varriale, Richard Cardenas, and Anna Cullen were patrolling Grand Haven State Park when they received a complaint regarding an individual brandishing a firearm. While the COs were investigating and attempting to locate the weapon, several beachgoers interfered with their efforts. During the incident, CO Varriale initiated an arrest of a female subject who had assaulted CO Cullen. While attempting to take her into custody, CO Varriale was also assaulted. CO Cardenas assisted in securing the suspect who subsequently assaulted him as well once she was in custody. The suspect was cited for Minor in Possession of alcohol and additional charges for resisting and obstructing, as well as disorderly conduct, were forwarded to the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
In an incident at Grand Haven State Park, several COs attempted to apprehend a suspect who was being investigated for involvement in a fight and for possessing alcohol. The suspect fled, prompting multiple COs to pursue him. CO Casey Varriale followed the suspect on foot and observed him run into a nearby neighborhood. CO Varriale continued the pursuit and witnessed the suspect climbing a gate. After giving verbal commands and drawing his TASER, the suspect surrendered without further incident to COs Rob Slick and Carter Woodwyk. Charges are pending with the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office.
District 8 counties of service: Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Shiawassee.
CO Jason McCullough received a complaint of a boat operator running into a flock of geese repeatedly on a local lake. The operator was identified through pictures taken by the complainant. The investigation revealed the operator, who was the brother-in-law of the boat owner, had used the boat on a “boys” weekend and had a hard time controlling the vessel apparently. Further investigation revealed the operator had not completed a boater safety course as required by law. The vessel was found to have been purchased last year, the title was never transferred, the registration improperly displayed and lacked the proper safety equipment. Charges are being sought in the local court of jurisdiction.
CO Wes Butler was out on patrol when he spotted a motorcycle improperly passing cars on the right shoulder of the freeway. The motorcycle was travelling 100-plus mph and was weaving in and out of traffic. CO Butler pursued the motorcycle for several miles until the rider noticed CO Butler’s emergency lights. CO Butler contacted the rider and asked why he was traveling at such a high speed. The man stated that he was just trying to get home and his speedometer was broken. CO Butler asked the man for his identification, registration, and proof of insurance. The man stated that he did not have registration or insurance, then handed CO Butler a driver’s license that was “VOID”. CO Butler then looked at the registration sticker on the motorcycle and the plate number on the sticker did not match the plate on his motorcycle. CO Butler questioned the man on his improper registration sticker in which he responded, “I didn’t have the money to register it, so I took the sticker off my Toyota”. After looking up the subject’s driving information, he discovered that his license was suspended. CO Butler issued the man citations for his 3rd driving with a suspended license offense, speeding, and using an improper registration sticker. CO Butler issued warnings for improper passing, expired registration, and no insurance.
CO Thomas Jaakkola was working on Belle Isle when he was dispatched to a 4-month-old who got locked in the car. CO Jaakkola requested MSP Station 20 to start a wrecker to get the car unlocked. Upon arrival, CO Jaakkola investigated the vehicle and could see the 4-month-old was moving around and eyes were open but could also see that the baby was very sweaty. CO Jaakkola advised the mother that a wrecker was enroute to unlock her car, the mother waited for a short time before asking CO Jaakkola to break a window as she was concerned for her baby. It had been 15 minutes since they had called 911 plus the few minutes CO Jaakola had been on scene. The temperature at the time of the incident was 97 degrees plus the heat index of about 100, the temperature inside the car was even hotter. CO Jaakkola used his window punch to break the front passenger window and unlock the car. The mother removed the 4-month-old and used CO Jaakkola’s patrol truck air conditioning to cool him down. No medical was needed and the baby was happy to be in mother’s arms.
District 9 counties of service: Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair.
COs Brad Silorey and Joe Deppen worked marine patrol on July 3rd during Operation Dry Water. The COs focused their time enforcing careless operation of boaters and PWC operators. Tickets were issued for careless PWC operation, unregistered watercraft, failing to provide registration, and slow no wake violations. The COs issued numerous warnings for wake violations as well.
COs Cody Bourgeois and Sydney Griffor did a night patrol on the St. Clair River. During their patrol, they observed a vessel with no anchor light fishing. During their contact, the anglers were asked to produce the standard safety equipment on a watercraft. The vessel had expired fire extinguishers, no navigation or stern light, and when asked for a throwable, the COs were given an inflatable tire tube. The COs issued several citations to the owner of the vessel.
District 10 counties of service: Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Wayne.
COs Andrew Werth and Evan White were working a busy Belle Isle Shift on Independence Day when a vehicle cut the COs off, failed to use their turn signal, and were traveling 38 mph in a posted 25 mph zone. The COs conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and CO Werth observed an open bottle of vodka in the vehicle and could smell the odor of intoxicants coming from the operator. The operator admitted drinking and driving and said she had a revoked operator’s license and a warrant out of Oakland County for OWI. CO Werth administered SFSTs and FSTs on the operator and the operator also submitted to a PBT resulting in a .108. The operator was taken into custody suspicion for OWI and received a citation for DWLS.
