Jury finds man guilty of resisting, eluding police.

Frasier

Jury finds man guilty of resisting, eluding police.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART — A jury convicted a 37-year-old man of assaulting/resisting/obstructing police and fleeing and eluding police following a trial in 27th Circuit Court Monday, Dec. 6.

Levi Christopher Frasier escaped from police following a high-speed chase that crossed county lines in September of 2020. Frasier fled from an Oceana County sheriff’s deputy in the area of 184th Avenue and Garfield Road in Greenwood Township following a traffic stop.

After stop sticks were used to deflate the tires on his 2004 Pontiac Grand Am, Frasier fled on foot in the area of Fruitvale and Brickyard roads in Muskegon County.

The jury found Frasier not guilty of charges of methamphetamine possession and MDMA possession.

The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office recovered his vehicle, which contained over 17 pounds of marijuana, suspected methamphetamine, suspected MDMA, multiple marijuana edibles and multiple oil forms of marijuana, said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast previously.

During the chase, Frasier was traveling 100 mph on M 20 in Oceana County, Mast said. After he turned south onto 132nd Avenue near Ferry, he began throwing items out of his car. He also attempted to “blind” the chasing deputy by shining a bright light from his car, the sheriff said.

When fleeing from the traffic stop, he hit the front bumper guard of the deputy’s patrol car, said the sheriff.

Several other agencies assisted including the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office, the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and the Fremont Police Department.

Fasier faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison, said Bizon. His fourth-offense habitual offender status elevates his maximum, which is normally two years.

“Today I want to thank Deputy Lance Veldkamp and Detective Rich Parmer for their hard work on the case of People v. Levi Frasier,” said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. “We were successful in obtaining a conviction on two of the four charges. While all jury trials present challenges, this case had some unique challenges and hurdles. In particular, this was a resisting and obstructing/fleeing and eluding case which occurred over a year ago in September of 2020 but was delayed due to COVID restrictions and other issues. Jury trials are always difficult, but it does feel right to get back to a degree of normal.

“Thank you, Oceana County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police and the jury,” said Bizon. “And I cannot forget to thank the wonderful Circuit Court staff.”

Frasier’s bond was revoked, and he is lodged in the Oceana County Jail awaiting sentencing, which is set for Feb. 7 at 11 a.m.

The prosecution called the following witnesses to testify: Veldkamp, Parmer, Michigan State Police Trooper Griffen Lewis, Officer John Geeting from the Fremont Police Department and Rebecca Crumb from the MSP lab. The defense called Frasier and his friend Michael Kinde to the stand to testify.

The jury deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes before reaching a verdict, said Bizon.

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