Demond Grimes, 15

Detroit, Michigan
August 26, 2017

Agencies: Lansing Police Department Michigan | Michigan State Police MSP

Cause of death: Vehicular


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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

A teenager is dead after a pursuit with Michigan State Police on Detroit's east side Saturday.

The crash happened at approximately 5:30 p.m. Saturday on Rossini Drive near Gratiot Avenue. The family says they were watching 15-year-old Demond Grimes ride his four wheeler down the street when they say a trooper approached trying to pull the teen over.

According to Michigan State Police, a trooper attempted to stop the ATV with lights and sirens, but the driver refused to stop, leading to a pursuit. 

A Michigan State Police trooper has been suspended after it was discovered he used a Taser on a teen, causing a fatal crash over the weekend.

An investigation is ongoing into the incident at around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, at Rossini Drive and Gratiot Avenue in northeast Detroit.

According to State Police, troopers assigned to the MSP Metro South Post, Detroit Secure Cities Partnership attempted to stop the 15-year-old driver of an ATV 4-wheeler for reckless driving. The troopers activated their emergency lights and siren, but the ATV driver refused to stop, police said, leading troopers in a pursuit eastbound on Rossini.

At some point during the chase, one of the troopers deployed a Taser, striking the teen. At Gratiot Ave., the teen lost control of the ATV, driving off the roadway onto the sidewalk before crashing into the back of a pickup truck.

Troopers attempted life-saving measures at the scene, but were unsuccessful. The boy, identified by Detroit police as Demond Grimes of Detroit, was then taken to St. John’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

It’s unclear at this time what criminal charges the trooper involved may face.

MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw says — to avoid the appearance of collusion —  a State Police Investigative Response Unit from Lansing is handing the ongoing investigation. Once complete, it will be turned over to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Legal Action

December 2017 A former Michigan State Police trooper was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the death of a Detroit teenager who crashed an all-terrain vehicle after being shot with a stun gun.