Clinton Twp. Man, 21, Dies Following Grosse Pointe Park Police Pursuit, Crash

Michigan State Police accident reconstructionists are investigating a fatal crash in which a patrol officer was attempting to stop a 21-year-old Clinton Township man early Monday. 

Von Ralph Verrett was driving a 2010 Toyota Camry on Mack Avenue shortly before 1:30 a.m. A patrol officer tried to initiate a traffic stop because Verrett was speeding, Park Detective David Loch said. 

Verrett did not stop and continued driving. He turned onto Beaconsfield and drove the length of it, speeding up as he drove, Loch said. The patrol officer continued pursuing Verrett with emergency lights and sirens but was a considerable distance behind him when he suddenly came to a stop, Loch said. 

The officer was unable to see the circumstances of Verrett's stop because he was that far behind but as he drove closer found that he crashed into a wall at the end of Beaconsfield near Jefferson Road, Loch said.

Verrett, whose identity was not determined for nearly a full day because he did not have identification with him, was taken to the hospital after being removed from the crashed car, Loch said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office took Verrett and performed an autopsy. Patch is awaiting the results of the autopsy but Loch said Verrett's family has been notified and provided a positive identification of him at the Medical Examiner's office.

Patch is attempting to reach Verrett's family. 

The Toyota Verrett was driving was stolen from a gas station in Detroit in June, Loch said. Police don't believe he is responsible for stealing the car but they do not know how he came to possess it, Loch said. 

Investigators have been unable to determine why Verrett failed to stop for the initial traffic stop and continued driving away from the officer, Loch said. 

According to Michigan Department of Corrections, Verrett had absconded on his probation in a Wayne County home invasion case in which he was sentenced in mid-June. 

Michigan State Police Sgt. Timothy Brown responded to the crash scene Monday, Loch said. Brown arrived on the scene after Verrett was taken to the hospital but before any of the crash was cleared away, Loch said. 

The results of his investigation will be forwarded to the Grosse Pointe Park police, Loch said, but at this point, essentially, the investigation is complete from their perspective.