SPARTA, Mich. — A 31-year-old man from Stanton who fled a traffic stop Thursday afternoon was eventually found hiding out in a porta-potty.
Around 1:35 p.m., the Sparta Police Department got a tip that a wanted fugitive might be near the 400 block of S. State Street near the middle school.
The police department spotted a white vehicle, and the passenger was the fugitive, police said.
During the traffic stop, police said the suspect became uncooperative, and while they were trying to take the man into custody, he ran off on foot.
That caused Sparta Schools to go on a soft lockdown for a time while police were searching for him.
The Kent County Sheriff's Department said at the time there wasn't a specific threat to the public, but there was a large police presence in the area while law enforcement worked together to track down the suspect.
Police used drones and K9s in the search.
After a 90-minute search, authorities found the accused suspect at 3:05 p.m.
He was hiding inside of a porta-potty, and was arrested on numerous warrants in addition to resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer.
Middle schoolers were let out late because authorities were actively tracking a suspect in the area.
"We would like to thank the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police for assisting in searching for this suspect. We would also like to thank the Sparta Area Schools for always working closely with law enforcement to ensure the safety of students when an incident happens nearby. We are thankful to report there were no injuries during this incident," Sparta Police Department Sgt. David Price said.
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