Ferndale Police Fatally Shoot Driver After Chase
The Following is a press released issued by Lt. William Wilson of the Ferndale Police Department
10-1509 Press Release
Officer Involved Shooting
On Thursday, 06/24/10 at about 1:00 a.m. Ferndale Police were involved in a vehicle chase that ended in a crash and the fatal shooting of the suspect by police.
A Ferndale officer made a traffic stop on Livernois near Marshall when he observed the suspect vehicle (Grey, 1999, Mercury Cougar) driving northbound in the southbound lanes of Livernois. The officer made a traffic stop of the vehicle that was driven by 59 year old Laszlo John Latits.
During the traffic stop, the officer noticed several bags of suspected marijuana and a large bottle of pills in the glovebox of the Cougar. Latits tried to hide the drugs from the officer’s view, and when the officer told him to stop, Latits drove away at a high rate of speed.
Latits sped southbound on Livernois to 8 Mile, then went eastbound. He drove into the parking lot of Stanley’s Other Place restaurant. He continued to attempt to elude police, then drove over grass onto s.b. Woodward and fled into Detroit. Several Ferndale police cars became involved in the chase.
Lattis drove to Woodward and State Fair, then turned northbound. He lost control of his car. During the chase, Latits’ car collided several times into Ferndale police cars.
Latits’s vehicle crashed at the northeast corner of Woodward and State Fair and knocked down a light pole. Ferndale police surrounded the suspect who responded by driving head on into a patrol car. He then backed up and nearly ran over a police officer who reacted by firing shots at the suspect.
Latits was hit with three rounds. He was arrested on the scene and immediately transported to the hospital by ambulance. He was pronounced dead at 5:40 a.m.
This matter is currently under investigation by the Ferndale Police Department, and by the Detroit Police Department. Identities of the officers involved in the incident are not being released at this time. The officer who fired shots is on paid administrative leave at this time.
As the case is currently being investigated, no video recordings are available.
Scrapes in the concrete and the downed pedestrian signal that the driver ran over, also part of the car's hubcap
gouges and tire marks in the blacktop leading to the corner where the driver was shot
what is left of the base of the pedestrian signal
blood at the scene
Additional notes: The above pictures were taken by C. Proxmire on June 24, 2010, 3:30pm at the scene of the shooting. Latit's family has hired a private detective to conduct an investigation into the shooting.
