WAYLAND, Mich. — A wanted felon was arrested after leading police on chase where a passenger jumped from the car, breaking her collarbone. FOX 17 has learned the driver involved is no stranger to local law enforcement.
Online state police records show Mark David Wood, 53, was booked on Saturday on charges of fleeing and eluding and assault.
According to Michigan State Police, a 53-year-old Kalamazoo man was arrested Saturday on an outstanding warrant for operating and maintaining a meth lab and now faces additional charges for fleeing and eluding, and resisting and obstructing an officer.
Police said they attempted to pull over the man for failing to stop at a stop sign. He fled and a police chase ensued, followed by a brief chase on foot that ended at M-222 near 14th Street, according to police. During the chase, a 45-year-old woman jumped from the vehicle and broke her collarbone.
Wood has a history of felony drug charges, but was also arrested in 2005 after leading police on a chase that killed a Mattawan police officer.
In July 2005, Officer Scot Beyerstedt was driving a police vehicle chasing Wood at speeds of nearly 90 miles per hour, when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree. Beyerstedt was killed. He had only been on the job for two weeks.
A second officer, Scott Hutchins, was injured. Wood was featured on America's Most Wanted after the chase and was arrested less than 24 hours after the episode aired.
Wood was originally charged with second degree murder, but a judge lowered that charge to fleeing and eluding a police officer, resulting in death. Wood was convicted and sentenced to 65 months to 25 years in prison. State records show Wood served about seven and a half years.
