DOWNTOWN. DETROIT LOCAL 4 NEWS AT SIX STARTS NOW. AND ABDUCTED BABY IS SAFE AND BACK WITH ITS
MOTHER TONIGHT AFTER BEING TAKEN
FOR A WHILE AND DANGEROUS RIDE
THAT TOPS OUR NEWS AT SIX, THE
DOMESTIC DISPUTE THAT ESCALATED
INTO A POLICE CHASE WITH A
LITTLE BABY IN THE CAR CHASE RAN
UP. I 75 FROM FLAT ROCK TO
DETROIT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND
THE BORDER PATROL AND ITS
OFFICERS ENDED UP MAKING THE
ARREST ROD MELONI LIVE TONIGHT
WITH A LOOK AT HOW THIS ENDED
WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME.
ROD WELL, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
BECAUSE THIS STARTED OUT AS A
POSSIBLE KIDNAPPING AND ENDED UP
BEING A CHILD ABDUCTION CASE IN
THE END, BUT THAT WAS WHAT
EVERYBODY WAS ON EDGE ABOUT IN
THE FIRST PLACE. RIGHT HERE IS
THE EXACT SPOT WHERE THE ARREST
ACTUALLY HAPPENED. AND IT SHOWS
THAT POLICE COOPERATION REALLY
MATTERS IN A CASE LIKE THIS.
THIS PICTURE WILL TELL YOU
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT HOW THIS ALL ENDED A
BORDER PATROL AGENT HOLDING THE
CHILD AFTER POLICE DISCOVERED
HER LOCKED INSIDE HER FATHER’S
SUV. THEY HAD TO BREAK THE SUV’S
WINDOW TO RECOVER HER SOON
THEREAFTER, THEY HANDED HER OFF
TO HER FRIGHTENED MOTHER. IT ALL
STARTED HERE AT THE CREEK SIDE
VILLAGE APARTMENTS IN FLAT ROCK
AND ARGUMENT BETWEEN MOM AND DAD
LED THIS MAN FLAT ROCK POLICE
IDENTIFY AS DENNIS DASHON
JOHNSON OF DETROIT TO DRIVE OFF
WITH THE CHILD. THEY SAY HE LED
POLICE ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE UP.
I 75 NORTH JOHNSON GETTING OFF
AT THE FOURTH STREET AND
SCHAEFER EXIT. THE FLAT ROCK
SCOUT CAR DIDN’T MAKE THE
UNEXPECTED SHARP RIGHT HAND TURN
THAT THE OFF RAMP HAS AND WOUND
UP STUCK IN THE DIRT MARKS STILL
ON THE BERM. THEY PUT OUT A CALL
FOR ASSISTANCE. MICHIGAN STATE
POLICE AND BORDER PATROL
OFFICERS IN THE AREA HEARD THE
CALL AND THEY FOUND THE SUSPECT
VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
JUST A FEW 100 YARDS AWAY ON
FOURTH STREET. THEY SAY JOHNSON
HAD SOMEHOW LOCKED HIMSELF OUT
OF THE VEHICLE HE GAVE UP
WITHOUT A FIGHT AND NOW FACES
FLEEING AND ELUDING FOURTH
DEGREE CHILD ABUSE AND
COMMITTING FELONY WITH A MOTOR
VEHICLE CHARGES. DETROIT SECTOR
, BORDER PATROL CHIEF AGENT
ROBERT DANLEY TOLD LOCAL FOR
TODAY, THE RESCUE IS A SHINING
EXAMPLE OF HIS AGENTS WORK. I
SEE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
WHETHER IT’S A SITUATION WHERE
OTHERS WERE OUR AGENTS STEP UP
AND GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, TO
PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE. UH
AND IN THIS CASE, IT’S JUST
HAPPEN TO BE A SMALL CHILD.
CHILD AND VERY, VERY PROUD OF
THE WORK THAT SHE DID. NOW YOU
MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED, BUT WE
LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AND THE
SUV THAT THE CHILD WAS IN HAD
FIVE BULLET HOLES ON THE HOOD OF
THE VEHICLE. SO WE ASKED THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THAT
FLAT ROCK POLICE. THEY TOLD US
NO SHOTS WERE FIRED IN THIS
INCIDENT WHATSOEVER. THEY
BELIEVE THOSE BULLET HOLES WERE
THERE PRIOR TO THE EVENT
YESTERDAY, BUT AS WE SAID, THIS
CHILD IS HOME AND SAFE WITH MOM.
AND THERE THERE YOU HAVE IT A
LOT OF VERY HAPPY PEOPLE. AT THE
END OF THIS VERY FRIGHTENING
SITUATION BACK TO YOU. VERY
FRIGHTENING, INDEED. AND RIGHT.
DID THE FATHER MAKE BOND IN THIS
CASE? WELL WE’RE TOLD THAT HE IS
GOING TO MAKE BOND BUT HE WAS
BEING HELD THIS AFTERNOON AT THE
FLAT ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY TOLD US HE WAS GOING TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO THE WAYNE COUNTY
JAIL TO MEET WHATEVER BOND
CONDITIONS HE HAD. AND THEN THEY
BELIEVE HE WILL BE RELEASED.
ALRIGHT, GLAD THE BABY IS SAFE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ROB. WE
ARE GETTING THE WEEKEND STARTED
WITH OUR FIRST FREEZE MORNING OF
THE SEASON IS CHILLY OUT THERE.
KIM ADAMS IS HERE WITH A LOOK AT
JUST HOW COLD IT COULD GET
TONIGHT. KIM WENT FROM
TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER
SEVENTIES EARLIER THIS WEEK TO A
FREEZE WARNING. THAT’S HOW
QUICKLY THINGS CHANGE HERE IN
METRO DETROIT. A FREEZE WARNING
IS MORE SERIOUS THAN A FROST
ADVISORY. AS WE DO EXPECT A HARD
FREEZE TONIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES
AT OR BELOW. 32 DEGREES ACROSS
ALL OF METRO DETROIT. WE ARE
ALREADY DOWN INTO THE FORTIES
AND MOST AREAS WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE CITY AIRPORT,
WHICH IS AT 50. RIGHT NOW, THIS
IS 24 TO 25 DEGREES COLDER THAN
WE WERE AT THIS EXACT SAME TIME
YESTERDAY. THAT’S A PRETTY
SERIOUS TEMPERATURE DROP AND
SPEAKING OF DROPPING
TEMPERATURES IF YOU’RE HEADED
OUT TONIGHT AS SOON AS THE SUN
SETS AT 705. IT IS GOING TO GET
VERY, VERY COLD BY MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT. WE’RE IN THE LOW
FORTIES, AND THEN OVERNIGHT
AGAIN, WE DROPPED DOWN TO 32
DEGREES IN MANY OF THE OUTER
LYING AREAS, STAYING RIGHT
AROUND 35 IN THE CITY OF
DETROIT. IF YOU’D LIKE TO STAY
UP TO DATE ON ALL THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION. THE BEST
WAY TO DO IT IS BY USING OUR
FOREWARN WEATHER APP. IT’S
INTERACTIVE. YOU PUT YOUR CITY
IN THERE AND I’LL TELL YOU ALL
KINDS OF INFORMATION. YOU JUST
HAVE TO GO TO YOUR FAVORITE APPS
STORE AND LOOK UP WDIV’S AND
DOWNLOAD THE FOREWARN WEATHER
APP TODAY. KIM FATAL SHOOTING OF
A FRONT DESK CLERK AT A DEARBORN
HOTEL THURSDAY REPRESENTS A
TRAGIC AND UNNECESSARY LOSS OF
LIFE. TONIGHT IT IS APPARENT THE
DEATH TOLL MIGHT HAVE BEEN
HIGHER, IF NOT FOR CERTAIN
DECISIONS MADE BY POLICE.
SHAWN LEY IS LIVE WITH THAT PART
OF THE STORY FOR US SO SHAWN LEY
NOAH ABOUT THE VICTIM. I’LL TELL
YOU WHAT A COUPLE JUST CAME HERE
, KAREN AND TOLD ME THAT THEY
HAD JUST CHECKED IN HERE FROM
OUT OF TOWN TO VISIT THE AREA
AND THE MAN WHO WAS SHOT AND
KILLED. JUST CHECK THEM IN. AND
THEN THE SHOOTING ABSOLUTELY
HEARTBREAKING. I SPOKE WITH
MEMBERS OF THAT MAN’S FAMILY
TODAY. THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY
DEVASTATED. HOWEVER AS WE DIG
DEEPER INTO THIS, WE’RE LEARNING
THAT THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE DISPUTE AT THE FRONT DESK
ABOUT A BILL TONIGHT. SOURCES
CONFIRM THAT THE 55 YEAR OLD MAN
FROM RIVERVIEW, SIMPLY DOING HIS
JOB AT THE FRONT DESK AT THE
HAMPTON INN IN DEARBORN, WAS
SHOT TWICE IN HIS FACE AND
KILLED. WE ARE WITHHOLDING HIS
NAME OUT OF RESPECT FOR HIS
DISTRAUGHT FAMILY. WE’VE ALSO
LEARNED THE SHOOTING WAS NOT
OVER AN ARGUMENT OVER THE
SUSPECTED GUNMAN’S BILL. A
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE HAMPTON INN
WRITES US. WE CAN CONFIRM THAT
WE LOST ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATES
YESTERDAY IN A TRAGIC INCIDENT
WITH AN INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED BY
THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AS
SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES, CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, WE CAN
FURTHER CONFIRM WITH ABSOLUTE
CERTAINTY THAT THIS ISSUE WAS
NOT RELATED TO ANY INVOICE
DISPUTE OR REFUND. OUR HEARTFELT
CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO EVERYONE
INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY THE
FAMILY OF OUR BELOVED ASSOCIATE
WHO WE VERY MUCH CONSIDER ONE OF
OUR OWN. RETIRED DETROIT POLICE
ASSISTANT CHIEF STEVE DOLAN
POINTS OUT THE DANGEROUS
CHALLENGES OF HAVING AN ARMED
MAN ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF A
HOTEL IN A POPULATED AREA. HE
SAYS POLICE WAITING HIM OUT WAS
ONE KEY, THE OTHER CONNECTING
WITH HIM ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
THAT’S THE WAY TO DO IT. YOU TRY
TO GET ON THEIR LEVEL. UM, YOU
TRY TO EMPATHIZE WITH THEM. AND
TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY’RE
GOING THROUGH AND THAT YES, IT’S
BAD. IT’S GONNA BE BAD. YOU’RE
GONNA GO TO JAIL. WHATEVER
HOWEVER, THERE’S PEOPLE THAT
LOVE YOU. DO THEY CARE ABOUT YOU
DON’T WANT ANYONE ELSE GETTING
HURT? WE DON’T WANT YOU GETTING
HURT. LET’S TALK SOMETIMES JUST
GOTTA WEAR HIM DOWN. AND THAT
WAS SHAWN LEY REPORTING. ROYAL
OAK HIGH SCHOOL’S HEAD FOOTBALL
COACH WILL NOT BE ON THE
SIDELINES FOR TONIGHT’S HOME
GAME. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT
LANGUAGE HE USED WHEN ADDRESSING
PLAYERS MEGAN WOODS LIVE AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL WHERE KICKOFF IS NOW
LESS THAN AN HOUR AWAY. AND
MEGAN, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE
TO LEARN ABOUT THESE
ALLEGATIONS? WELL, THIS IS STILL
VERY FRESH. JUST ABOUT AN HOUR
AGO, THE SUPERINTENDENT SENT OUT
A NOTE TO ROYAL OAK HIGH SCHOOL
FAMILIES SAYING THAT YES, THERE
ARE ALLEGATIONS. YES THERE IS AN
INTERNAL INVESTIGATION AND THAT
THAT COACH IS ON ADMINISTRATIVE
LEAVE FROM THE DISTRICT. JUST
YESTERDAY, THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
SENT OUT A NOTE TO THOSE VARSITY
FOOTBALL FAMILIES EXPLAINING THE
SAME EXACT THING. THEY BOTH ARE
SAYING THAT IT WAS THE STUDENT
ATHLETES WHO BROUGHT THIS TO THE
ATTENTION OF IT. MINISTRATIONS.
IN FRIDAY’S LETTER TO PARENTS,
ROYAL OAK SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT
SAYS THE VARSITY HEAD COACH IS
ACCUSED OF USING INAPPROPRIATE
AND POTENTIALLY DEMEANING
LANGUAGE WHILE SPEAKING TO ROYAL
OAK FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND THAT
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE TEAM HAVE
CONFIRMED THOSE ALLEGATIONS. SHE
ALSO EXPLAINS THEY HAVE LAUNCHED
AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION AND
THAT THE COACH HAS BEEN REMOVED
FROM HIS ROLE. IT IS ON
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FROM THE
DISTRICT PENDING THE OUTCOME OF
THIS INVESTIGATION. THE NOTE TO
FAMILIES ALSO NAME JAMES, THE
JUNIOR VARSITY HEAD COACH AS THE
INTERIM HEAD COACH OF THE
VARSITY TEAM, THE SUPERINTENDENT
SAYS, QUOTE WE COMMEND OUR
STUDENT ATHLETES FOR BRINGING
THIS SITUATION TO OUR ATTENTION,
AS WE ALL HAVE AN INTEREST IN
PROMOTING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
OF CONDUCT AND OUR ATHLETIC
PROGRAMS. I WOULD LIKE OUR
PARENTS TO KNOW THIS UNFORTUNATE
INCIDENT AND NO WAY REFLECTS OUR
CORE VALUES AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT
. ONE ROYAL OAK HIGH SCHOOL
GRANDMOTHER SAYS SHE DOES
APPRECIATE HOW QUICKLY SITUATION
OCEANS LIKE THIS ARE ADDRESSED.
BUT ONE THING I WILL SAY ABOUT
THIS DISTRICT. WHEN THEY HEAR
ABOUT IT. THEY DO GET RID OF IT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS STILL ALL
VERY NEW. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
STILL HAS TO DO THAT REVIEW.
UNTIL THEN, THAT COACH WILL BE
ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AND
TONIGHT AT SEVEN O’CLOCK WHEN
PLAYERS HEAD ONTO THAT FIELD,
VARSITY PLAYERS ARE BEING LED BY
THE JV HEAD COACH. AS FOR RIGHT
NOW, SO LIVE IN ROYAL OAK. I’M
MEGAN WOODS, LOCAL 4 WE’LL BE
FOLLOWING IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, MEGAN. THE WOMAN IS CHARGED
AND A SUSPECTED DRUNK DRIVING
CRASH THAT KILLED A NAVY VETERAN
56 YEAR OLD TIMOTHY ROGERS WAS
CROSSING MICHIGAN AVENUE NEAR I
2, 75 AND CANTON MONDAY NIGHT
WHEN HE WAS HIT AND KILLED.
POLICE SAY THE DRIVER TOOK OFF
BUT THEN LATER RETURNED. POLICE
HAVE CHARGED 47 YEAR OLD LEVINA
FLAMER WITH OPERATING A VEHICLE
WHILE INTOXICATED, CAUSING DEATH
IS A 15 YEAR FELONY. THE OAKLAND
COUNTY SHERIFF ASKING PARENTS TO
TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT
STRANGER DANGER AFTER A SCARE IN
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP, INVESTIGATORS
SAY, 2 10 YEAR OLD BOYS WERE
PLAYING AFTER SCHOOL YESTERDAY
THEY WERE PLAYING NEAR THE DUCK
LAKE COMMUNITY CENTER NEAR DUCK
LAKE ROAD AND CONNOR’S LANE. THE
BOYS SAY A MAN STANDING NEAR A
BLACK CHEVY TRUCK OFFERED THEM
CANDY AND ALSO POPSICLES. A
WOMAN WHO SAW WHAT WAS
HAPPENING. APPROACHED THE BOYS.
THEN THAT MAN TOOK OFF. HE HAD A
LONG GRAY BEARD. HE WAS WEARING
A GREEN REFLECTIVE SAFETY VEST.
WORK BOOTS AT THE TIME. THE
SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS NOW
INVESTIGATING, AND THEY’RE
ASKING ANYONE WHO SEES THIS MAN
NEAR A SCHOOL OR A BUS STOP TO
CALL THEM RIGHT AWAY. SINCE
FEBRUARY. THE FULL CLOSURE OF 12
MILE AT I 75 IS CUT PEOPLE OFF
FROM SOME PRETTY BIG SHOPPING
DESTINATIONS AS WELL AS ACCESS
TO THE FREEWAY ITSELF, AND HAS
BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HEADACHE.
SO TONIGHT THAT ENDS AT LEAST
FOR AWHILE. 12 MILES WILL BE
BACK OPEN AT 10 PM REMAIN OPEN
UNTIL NEXT FEBRUARY, WILL HAVE A
DIFFERENT LOOK BECAUSE THEY
BUILT A DIVERGING DIAMOND
INTERCHANGE LIKE THE ONE UP AT
14 MILES. SOUTHBOUND 75 RAMPS AT
12 MILE WILL ALSO REOPENED AND
THERE ARE SOME TEMPORARY
CLOSURES COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT, INCLUDING
THE SOUTH BONG RAMPS AT 11 MILE
AND BOTH SOUTHBOUND EXITS TO 6
96 BOTTOM LINE HERE, THOUGH, IF
YOU DO LIVE ALONG 12 MILE, YOU
WON’T HAVE TO DRIVE THREE MILES
TO GET OUT OF YOUR WAY ANYMORE
TO GET TO THE ROYAL OAK, KROGER
OR THE MADISON HEIGHTS, HOME
DEPOT THERE ON THE OTHER SIDE,
IT’S BEEN A PAINT. IT REALLY
HAPPENED. FINALLY DRIVE IN THAT
AREA TOO EASY. STILL HAD THERE
IS SOME NEW ADVICE FROM HEALTH
EXPERTS. THAT MIGHT SURPRISE
YOU. IF YOU TAKE THOSE BLOOD
THINNING MEDICATIONS WILL HAVE
THAT. PLUS FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS
SAY THIS MAN IS A CHILD PREDATOR
PARENTS, YOU WILL WANT TO KNOW
THE GAMING PLATFORM AND THE APP