Michigan State Police, Trooper Trooper Cody Black wins Stop Stick Hit of the Year 2022.

Stop Stick® 2022 Hit of the Year Award goes to the Michigan State Police, Trooper Cody Black’s Stop Stick® deployment helped in the recovery of 5 new ZL1 Checy Camaros stolen from the General Motors Plant.

Trooper Cody Black of the Michigan State Police has been named as 2022 Stop Stick Hit of the Year, Hit King; Trooper Black’s deployment of Stop Stick® during a pursuit involving 5 stolen ZL1 Camaros resulted in the recovery of 4 of the 5 stolen vehicles.

5 Stolen High-Performance Vehicles Taken Directly From the GM Plant.

On May 2, 2022, 9 individuals managed to sneak onto the General Motors property and drive off with 5 Camaro ZL1’s sparking a county-wide search. Law enforcement from the Lansing police department, Livingston Co. Sheriff’s Office, and Troopers from the Michigan State Police responded to the call from the General Motors plant soon after the 5 vehicles made their getaway.

As law enforcement searched the area several of the stolen vehicles were quickly located, but refused to stop for police, causing law enforcement to engage in multiple pursuits as the vehicles fled at alarmingly high speeds.

“Fast Cars, But Only One Way Out Of Town”

Despite the stolen vehicle’s superior speed the suspects unknowingly were already setting themselves up for capture, Trooper Black stated that this isn’t the first time someone’s attempted to steal cars directly off the GM l0t. “The vehicles aren’t fully gassed up on the lot, and suspects often take the  vehicles to the same gas station as they attempt to get to the highway to make a quick getaway.”

Having dealt with similar situations before, Trooper Black was able to make an informed decision to pre-deploy his Stop Sticks along the most probable escape route for the suspects.

 Trooper Black Deployed Stop Sticks As the Suspects Ditched Pursuing Law Enforcement.

Due to the location of the General Motors Plant, the suspects didn’t have much of a choice in the direction they could go, relying on the car’s superior speed to attempt to outrun pursuing law enforcement.

As the Lancing Police and Livingston Co. Deputies pursued the suspects they took great care to relay the speeds and direction the vehicles were traveling in which helped give Trooper Black the upper hand as he methodically chose the location where he would deploy 2 sets of Stop Sticks.

Four of the stolen Camaro’s stayed in a tight formation keeping pace with one another as they headed eastbound on the I-96 Highway reaching speeds over 120MPH, putting themselves and the public at risk as they outran the pursuing police.

4 Cars 2 Sets of Stop Sticks

Trooper Black happened to have an extra set of Stop Sticks in his vehicle that night and chose to deploy both sets from cover.  As the pack of stolen vehicles approached his location at speeds over 150MPH, Trooper Black pulled both sets into the road giving the fleeing Camaro’s no other option but to drive over them. Shortly after hitting Trooper Black’s Stop Sticks all 4 of the stolen Camaro’s became disabled causing the suspects to bail out and attempt to flee on foot.

Michigan State Troopers with the assistance of Lansing PD, Livingston Co., and Oakland Co. Deputies managed to capture all 9 of the suspects shortly after with no further incident. Not long after the occupants of the 4 stolen vehicles were in custody, the fifth stolen Camaro was located by another nearby agency, and the remaining suspects were arrested.

In Total the Combined Value of the Stolen Vehicles was $375,000 

In total, police have recovered five of the seven cars reportedly stolen, which carry an approximate combined value of $375,000. Nine men aged 20 to 24 have been arrested, and face charges of fleeing or eluding police, receiving or concealing a stolen vehicle, resisting or obstructing police, and conspiracy to commit a criminal act.

Trooper Cody Black of the Michigan State Police is 2022’s “HIT KING”

We honor Trooper Cody Black as the official “Hit King” for 2022 for his deployment of Stop Stick® resulting in the recovery of 4 stolen high-performance vehicles, and the capture of nine individuals responsible for the thefts.

Photo Courtesy of Michigan State Police (@MSPFirstDist: Twitter)

Story assistance by Cody Black Michigan State Police, Additional Sources KIRO 7: https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/five-stolen-camaros-crash-after-high-speed-chase-across-michigan/M63Z6YMAINEZPAEAICJGFJLR3Q/

Thedrive.com: https://www.thedrive.com/news/7-chevy-camaros-stolen-in-gm-factory-heist-2-cars-still-at-large

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