A Ferndale, Michigan Baptist pastor was accused of using his car as a weapon to ram into the vehicle of two Arenac County Sheriff's deputies.
David Jones—pastor of the Hilton Oaks Baptist Church—is facing charges of attempted murder after the incident took place on October 6.
The Baptist minister had already amassed eight citations for driving under the influence (DUI).
A Michigan pastor with eight prior DUI arrests intentionally crashed into a patrol car on Wednesday after refusing to obey deputies\u2019 instructions, authorities allegehttps://trib.al/JEwqxyT— The Daily Beast (@The Daily Beast) 1634053684
According to WXYZ, two deputies responded to a call at a convenience store where they discovered Jones sitting in his car, drunk.
The police said the 57-year-old was intoxicated, refused to cooperate with the deputies, drove off across the highway into another parking lot and plowed into a building.
But then he turned his car around and proceeded to slam into the deputies' SUV.
Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
Maybe you\u2019re in the wrong profession, boss\u2026https://nypost.com/2021/10/11/michigan-pastor-accused-of-trying-to-murder-sheriffs-deputies/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa Jim B\u00f6barino \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa Jim B\u00f6barino \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1634039347
Arenac County Undersheriff Don McIntyre said:
"He struck their building, turned his vehicle towards deputies, accelerated, smashing our patrol car. Luckily our deputies were not injured."
McIntyre added:
"If you turn your vehicle around and intentionally collide with a police vehicle, you are going to be charged with attempted murder on police."
The deputies were forced to break the car windows to extricate Jones who refused to get out of the vehicle after the crash.
You can watch the Fox 2 report, here.
Fox 2 reported Jones' driving record indicated this was the clergyman's ninth drinking and driving offense, with his last DUI offense being in August.
He has also served time in prison for drugs and armed robbery.
That sacramental wine goes right to the head.— Dom Acconcia (@Dom Acconcia) 1634054252
Some on social media suggested the outcome would have ended differently if the suspect was a person of color.
If he was black, he wouldn\u2019t have made it past 2 or 3.— Keith Allen (@Keith Allen) 1634054560
They didn't shot him? Oh my, I wonder why?— Barbara Hoffmann (@Barbara Hoffmann) 1634054179
Gotta hear both sides.— MartinAmerica (@MartinAmerica) 1634053844
OF COURSE HE IS WHITE, HE SURVIVED— tasha zombie (@tasha zombie) 1634055712
The community was baffled by the fact Jones was allowed to get back behind the wheel after having multiple DUIs.
Geraldine Beguhn, a neighbor, said of the pastor:
"They tell you what to do, then they go off and do their own thing. And they probably feel because of their position in the community, they can get away with some of this stuff."
"Who lets him go? Doesn't he ever appear in front of a judge?" added Beguhn.
Ralph White, an acquaintance of the Jones family, told the media outlet:
"I'm sad for him because it keeps happening. It's sad that our system allows it to keep happening it's sad for the people that are affected by it."
"I knew David's mother, she passed away - she wouldn't be pleased."
Jones is currently behind bars and is facing murder charges. He is held on a $1 million bond.
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