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Lansing man arraigned on charges related to theft of DeWitt police car

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DEWITT, Mich. — A Lansing man was arraigned Thursday, Feb. 21, on several charges relating to the theft of a police vehicle in DeWitt Township last week.

Timothy Vanous, a 29-year-old from Lansing, was arraigned in Clinton County 65A District Court on the following charges:
Count 1 – carjacking
Count 2 – Weapons Firearms Larceny
Count 3 – Weapons Firearms Larceny
Count 4 – Felony Firearms
Count 5 – Felony Firearms
Count 6 – Felony Firearms
Count 7 – Felony Firearms
Count 8 – Fleeing and eluding an officer – 4th degree
Count 9 - Fleeing and eluding an officer – 4th degree
Count 10 – Police officer-Ass/Resist/Obstruct Causing Injury
Count 11 - Police officer-Ass/Resist/Obstruct Causing Injury
Count 12 – Drove with suspended license – 2nd or subsequent
Count 13 – Retail fraud – First degree

Vanous will have a probable cause court appearance 1:30 p.m. March 7 and a prelim exam at 2:30 p.m. March 16.

He is lodged in the Clinton County Jail without bond.

Officials still have not released information on how Vanous was able to get control of the DeWitt police vehicle.

Joshua Lauer, 26, was arraigned on Feb. 20 on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, fleeing and eluding, and driving while license suspended.

Lauer is lodged in the Clinton County Jail on $100,000 bond.

His probable cause conference is at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28.
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On Wednesday, police said three people drove off after stealing a TV from Meijer in DeWitt. One jumped out of the vehicle and shortly after stole a DeWitt Police patrol car and then crashed it into an embankment.

DeWitt Township Chief of Police Mike Gute said officials were patrolling the Meijer grocery store in DeWitt Township on Wednesday when three men were caught stealing from the store.

DeWitt Township officers told News 10 that they saw a man running out of Meijer with a TV.

He was seen tossing the TV into the car and taking off, heading south on Turner Road.

That's when the car stopped and one man jumped out of the "getaway" car and took off on foot.

DeWitt city police then joined in the pursuit.

The getaway car crossed into Lansing and, at some point, DeWitt Township police discontinued the chase.

That vehicle was found at a home in Lansing. The 26-year-old driver was arrested.

The suspect on foot was located on Turner Road by a City of DeWitt officer, and somehow managed to get control of the City of Dewitt patrol car.

The suspect eventually crashed the vehicle into a tree.

After taking a gun from under his friend's pillow, the man went back outside and tried to drive away from police, in the stolen patrol car.

The suspect and the stolen vehicle were tracked to a dead end street on Edison Avenue in Lansing.

That's where the patrol car also was found, crashed into an embankment near railroad tracks.

The suspect would not leave the vehicle and police had to use a stun gun on the man.

After, police and emergency personnel got the suspect out of the stolen police car and helped him into the ambulance.

He had visual cuts on his face, and pants around his ankles.

He was taken to McLaren for his injuries.

The witness did say he knew the man and tried calling the "non-emergency number" to report what had happened.

The witness says the man seemed to be under the influence of a drug.

There is no word yet of how the man was able to steal the vehicle.

The driver of the original vehicle and the driver of the stolen vehicle are now in Clinton County jail.

The passenger in the original car was let go and is not being considered a suspect.

One of the suspects was arraigned Wednesday in Clinton County District Court.

Joshua Michael Lauer, 26, has been charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon, Fleeing Force, and Driving While License Suspended.