LOCAL Police Officer Baked Magic Brownies

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Police commanders in Dearborn are taking heat for not prosecuting a police officer caught spiking brownies with marijuana. Cpl. Edward Sanchez was allowed to resign last year after admitting he and his wife baked brownies with marijuana he had taken from a drug suspect.

The officer's troubles began with an April 2006 call to 911. On the tape, he's heard saying, "I think we're dying. We made brownies and I think we're dead, I really do." He also asked the 911 dispatcher what the score was on the Detroit Red Wings hockey game being televised that night, explaining, "I just want to make sure this isn't some type of, like, hallucination that I'm having."

LOCAL CRIMESTOPPERS

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

A $6,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in a school threat case in the Rochester Community School District. For the second time in two weeks, four Rochester schools were closed because of anonymous threats.

Classes were canceled Friday at Rochester High School, Adams High School, West Middle School and Van Hoosen Middle School.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Department is not releasing any details about the threat, but they said a search of the schools found nothing. For more information, go to the Rochester Community School district Web site at www.rochester.k12.mi.us.

LOCAL Toyota Exceeds GM in Sales

from WDIV Detroit TV 4


General Motors, after more than 75 years as the No. 1 automaker in the U.S. and the world, has been surpassed by Toyota. In the first quarter, Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles, while GM sold 2.26 million.

This is something analysts had predicted but weren't expecting these changes until later on in the year -- not in the first quarter. Toyota has had the No. 1 selling car for the last several years in the Toyota Camry. And Toyota has built a reputation for quality and for building better fuel efficient vehicles.

GM announced a restructuring plan in November of 2005 that called for closing 12 plants by 2008, slashing its workforce, reducing capacity and cutting costs.

LOCAL CRIMESTOPPERS

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Detroit Police said they need help to catch a group of burglars who have robbed the same store more than a dozen times. In fact, according to police, the Dollar Discount store was broken into twice in the the past two days. Surveillance video of the latest robbery showed a man loading up a sack of electronics behind the counter. He looked directly into the surveillance camera and police released video of the break-in, hoping someone will recognize the burglar.

The Dollar Discount store was broken into seven times in 2005, several times last year, and has been robbed three times so far in 2007. Those who have any information about the robberies are being asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at 800-SPEAK-UP.

Also, a man seen flashing small children and others at suburban shops was spotted again. Two years ago, he hit the Borders in Rochester Hills, and on April 12 he hit Borders, on April 21 he appeared at Marshalls and on April 22 he was reported in the Sears store. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department said it's time to put this man in jail.

The man targets specific stores like Marshalls and Borders, all in Rochester Hills and all within two miles of each other. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the man looks for young boys or girls once he enters a store.

Investigators believe he could be the same man who approached children who stepped away from their parents and flashed them in 2005. In the most recent incident, a child alerted their mother who, along with store personnel, chased the man outside and obtained partial license plate information.

Police are looking for a red burgundy pickup truck with a partial Michigan license plate of 054.

Those who have any information about the man are being asked to call 888-TURN-1-IN. Police said there is a significant reward for information leading to the arrest of the man.

LOCAL Farmer Jack Sells

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

It's selling time for Farmer Jack, a chain of grocery stores that have been in metro Detroit for decades. A & P Company, Inc., the company that owns Farmer Jack, announced that it is in negotiations for the potential sale of its operations in the Midwest. The company cited unsatisfactory operating trends in that market, and the need to devote resources to its expanding Northeast core business, as the reason for the action.

A&P has informed its employees in the Midwest and their union representatives that it anticipates the sale of groups of stores to selected bidders. The company said that it cannot release additional details concerning the ongoing process until definitive acquisition agreements are reached over the next few months.

A&P acquired the Farmer Jack chain in 1989 and at present operates 66 stores in southeast Michigan.

LOCAL HEADLINE STORY

Northwest Pilot on Cocaine
from CNN

An off-duty Northwest Airlines pilot was suspected of driving under the influence of cocaine when he headed the wrong way on an interstate to avoid the U.S.-Canada border and led deputies on a chase. Walter L. Dinalko, a veteran pilot of 20 years, had flown to Detroit Metropolitan Airport Saturday afternoon and then rented a Hummer that he drove about 70 miles to Port Huron.

Dinalko turned around three times on the Blue Water Bridge, apparently changing his mind about heading into Sarnia, Ontario. He then drove on the wrong side of the bridge and Interstate 94. U.S. Customs agents alerted sheriff's deputies, who closed down the expressway and gave chase.

Deputies laid down stop sticks, which flattened the Hummer's tires. Dinalko stopped but refused to surrender to deputies.

Dinalko, 50, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was taken to a hospital for a drug test before he was taken to jail. A user's quantity of a substance suspected to be cocaine was found in the vehicle, including one opened package and one sealed package. Toxicology tests on a sample of the pilot's blood were pending.

Dinalko was arraigned Sunday on charges of cocaine possession, eluding police, resisting officers and operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs. He was released Sunday after posting $10,000 bond.

LOCAL Inmates Released Early

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

The Washtenaw County Jail released inmates on Thursday because of overcrowding. In order to comply with the state jail overcrowding statue, which requires the reduction of inmates sentenced by up to 30 percent to help relieve overcrowding at the jail, the county has released 12 inmates.

The jail has been in a state of overcrowding since March 5 and remains overcrowded.

The jail has 332 beds available, and at last check on Friday morning, there were 357 inmates. The jail is currently closed to new arrests of minor crimes but will accept suspects of certain crimes, like assault, drugs and weapons crimes.

Sheriff's officials believe the overcrowding issue will be resolved by mid-May.

LOCAL Boy Robbed of Puppy at Gunpoint

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Detroit police are investigating after a 14-year-old boy was robbed of his 3 week old pitbull labrador puppy at gunpoint. The boy was in the backyard of his westside Detroit home when an unknown man approached him and presented a handgun.

The man demanded the boy give up the dog.

The boy and his mother are evacuees of Hurricane Katrina and were unable to provide police with pictures of the dog.

LOCAL UPDATE: Troy Shooting Suspect in Custody

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Police have announced they have Anthony Lacalamita, 38, in custody in connection with the workplace shooting inside Gordon Advisors Accounting Firm in Troy. A resident driving a pickup truck spotted the silver 2007 Ford Fusion that police were searching for and called 911. The Genessee County Sheriff's Department followed the car through Saginaw and pulled him over in Bay City. They said the rifle was found in the car, and the driver matched the shooter's description.

Lacalamita is being transported to the Genessee County jail.

One woman has died and two men are injured. Witnesses inside the building said there are armed police officers and guards outside. Officials have secured the basement and first floor and are working to secure the other floors. Employees were removed from the building in sections and taken to a neighboring building.

LOCAL BREAKING NEWS - CRIMESTOPPERS

Troy Workplace Shooting: 1 Dead, 2 Injured
from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Troy police are at the scene of a workplace shooting inside Gordon Advisors Accounting Firm.

Police received a tip call on Monday morning stating there was a shooting on the second floor of the 1301 Long Lake Crossings building on Long Lake Road.

The shooter has been identified as Anthony Lacalamita, 38. He is about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. He has short dark hair and was wearing a dark-colored sweater. He is still armed with either a rifle or shotgun.

One woman has died and two men are injured. Some employees have barricaded themselves inside their offices, while others have been evacuated and taken to a nearby building. Witnesses inside the building said there are armed police officers and guards outside. Officials have secured the basement and first floor and are working to secure the other floors.

Ten members of the SWAT team entered the building in full gear but have not come out yet. Employees are being removed from the building in sections and taken to a neighboring building. There were injuries reported, but how many people were involved and the extent are not known at this time.

Police are searching for a silver 2007 Ford Fusion and said it may be related to the shooting. The license plate is BEY 0843.

If you have any information regarding this incident, or believe you know the whereabouts of Lacalamita please call Troy police at (248) 689-4455.

LOCAL Really Old Bones Found in Oakland Co

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Two sets of human bones that are believed to be at least hundreds of years old were found in White Lake Township by an excavating crew clearing a site for a baseball field. State archaeologists say the bones are of an adult and child and are likely 700 to 2,000 years old. The bones were found March 26 on Township property owned by a local church.

However, no skulls were recovered. The bones were turned over to the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office and are undergoing extensive study.

LOCAL CRIME STOPPERS ALERT

Pontiac Rapist Sketch Released by Police

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Pontiac police said they are on the hunt for a suspected rapist and they released a sketch of a person of interest. Over the weekend, a man raped a woman and then tried to attack a second woman 30 minutes later. The first incident was reported to have taken place in Murphy Park around 10 p.m.

A boyfriend and girlfriend were sitting in a parked car when they told police a black man approached them and pointed a silver handgun at them. The boyfriend told police he was ordered out of the vehicle by the man and asked to empty his pockets.

When officers arrived at the scene with the boyfriend the woman was gone. After searching the park, the woman was located and told police she had been raped. The area had been secured with tracking dogs, and the Oakland County Sheriff's Department allocated helicopter and good patrols but the man was not located. Police are now waiting for DNA samples to come back from a lab.

At 10:31 p.m. on Saturday another woman reported being approached and robbed while sitting in a parked car in Beaudette Park. A black man showed her a gun and ordered her out of the car. She said the man had her open her trunk and then he took her purse and fled in a dented green Dodge Neon. Police said the man's description matches in both incidents.

The man is being described as black and in his 20s, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 1 inch tall, with a thin build, mustache and short-length black Afro. The man was last seen wearing a dark winter jacket with a hood. Those who have any information on the man are being asked to contact Pontiac police at (248) 857-7890.

Jackson-Hewitt Accussed of Tax-Fraud Schemes

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

The government said Tuesday it is trying to shut down more than 125 Jackson Hewitt tax preparation stores in four states, including Michigan, for systematic "tax-fraud schemes." The Justice Department accuses the franchises of bilking the government out of more than $70 million through fraudulent practices such as using phony W-2 forms, bogus deductions and fuel tax credits and false claims regarding the earned income tax credit.

Jackson Hewitt Tax Services Inc. is the nation's second largest tax preparer. The franchises were either totally or partially owned by Farrukh Sohail of Atlanta, and involved a pervasive and massive series of tax-fraud schemes.

According to court documents, Sohail and other defendants "created, directed, fostered, and maintained a business environment" at the Jackson Hewitt franchises "in which fraudulent tax return preparation is encouraged and flourishes."

Employees were encouraged to ignore telltale signs of fraudulent information and to file claims even when it was obvious customers were using fake W-2 forms or false deductions. A sample of returns prepared by franchises connected to Sohail found 31 percent contained false information such as phony earned income tax credit claims, bogus deductions and fraudulent W-2 forms.

The suits, filed in federal courts in Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit and Raleigh, N.C., also allege that managers and employees at the Jackson Hewitt franchises took kickbacks for filing fraudulent returns. Managers at the franchises repeatedly told tax preparers that "we are not the IRS" and that it is not their responsibility to prevent customers from filing bogus returns. Many of the stores catered to customers seeking refund anticipation loans based on phony returns.
In one instance, a Jackson Hewitt franchise customer claimed a fuel tax credit for which the tax filer would have had to drive almost 1,400 miles a day. The suits seek court orders shutting down the franchises.

LOCAL HS Senior Runs for School Board

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

A high school senior -- four days too young to get his name on the local school board ballot -- will take his chances as a write-in candidate. Phil Nichols' 18th birthday was Feb. 17. Under state law, candidates on the ballot must be 18 or older by the filing deadline, which was Feb. 13 in the race for the Howell Public Schools Board of Education. But the requirement doesn't apply to those running a write-in campaign, as long as they're 18 when taking the oath of office.

Nichols said he was inspired to run by his opposition to the Livingston Organization for Values in Education. The group has complained about profanity and sexual content of some books assigned to advanced English students at Howell High School.

Nichols plans to attend Eastern Michigan University in the fall, but said he could handle his schoolwork and service on the board.

Detroit PD Officer Involved in Road Rage, Shooting

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Livonia police said they responded to the scene of a road-rage incident involving a Detroit police officer on Wednesday. When police arrived at the scene on WB I-96 near Stark Road, they found a black SUV with its windows shot out, and a silver Dodge Magnum nearby. The incident started in the area of Fenkell Street and West Outer Drive in Detroit, but ended in Livonia.

The driver of the Magnum was hit by the SUV, and the driver of the SUV fled the scene. The driver of the Magnum then followed the SUV onto I-96. At that point shots were fired from the Magnum, but no one was injured.

Livonia police responded to a 911 call regarding the shooting, and officers waited for the vehicles to enter Livonia city limits, where they pulled both vehicles over. The driver of the Magnum, was an off-duty Detroit police officer. He was immediatley taken into custody. The officer also had open intoxicants inside his vehicle.

The officer probably shot off about four or five rounds and he told Livonia police he was fired at first, and was only shooting back. The officer will not be released until an investigation by police and prosecutors is complete. He is facing charges of assault with intent to murder, and driving under the influence. Livonia police said the Wayne County Prosecutors office has requested several items regarding the investigation.

Ford Posts Record Loss

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Ford Motor Co. posted a $12.7 billion loss in 2006, the largest annual loss in the automaker's 103-year history. The company lost $5.8 billion in the fourth quarter alone due to slumping sales and huge restructuring costs. It lost just less than $7 billion in the first three quarters of the year.

The annual loss surpassed the previous record annual net loss of $7.39 billion in 1992. The Dearborn-based automaker expects continued losses for the remainder of the year.

GM Recalls 98,000 Cars

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

General Motors Corp. is recalling about 100,000 Chevrolet Cobalt small sedans to upgrade head impact protection. The recall affects 98,707 vehicles from the 2005-2006 model years that are not equipped with optional roof-mounted side impact air bags. The issue was discovered during compliance testing.

There have been no injuries related to the recall and the head impact protection would only be an issue for motorists not wearing a seat belt. Belted motorists would not be affected. To correct the defect dealers will install energy absorbing plastic to the area. Owners can contact Chevrolet at 800-630-2438.

Pfizer to Cut 2,400 Michigan Jobs

from WDIV Detroit TV 4

Pfizer Chairman and CEO Jeffery B. Kindler announced plans to make major cuts to improve the company's future. Pfizer Inc. will close its human health research and development facilities in Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, affecting about 2,400 jobs. The Ann Arbor facility has about 2,100 employees. Also affected are approximately 250 workers in downtown Kalamazoo and another 60 in western Wayne County's Plymouth Township.

But the world's largest drugmaker will continue to maintain manufacturing and animal-health research operations in the Kalamazoo area, preserving about 3,800 jobs. Pfizer announced in March 2005 that it was closing a Holland manufacturing plant with 328 employees. About 60 people continue to work at the facility as it is being decommissioned.

New York-based Pfizer will also close manufacturing plants in New York and Nebraska as part of a plan to cut costs by up to $2 billion per year. About 10,000 jobs will be lost total. The restructuring is part of an effort by Pfizer to cut costs by up to $2 billion a year amid fierce competition from generic drugs.

NAIAS 2007 Editor's Choice

Saab Aero X Concept Car

As the current Saab ad campaign tells us, the Swedish car maker got its start designing fighter jets for the Swedish military and with the Aero X concept, Saab's "born from jets" tagline is finally true. Nowhere is the jet influence more prevalent than in the cockpit of the Aero X concept. Instead of traditional doors, the Aero X boasts a jet-like canopy that rises up to allow passengers in and out of the car.

Carbon composite materials are used extensively in the manufacture of fighter jets, and true to its jet heritage, the Aero X sports a lot of carbon material as well and there is also a bit of jet influence in the wheels. Sized 22 inches in the front and 23 inches in the rear, these massive rims have a bit of a turbine fan shape to them.

The Aero X is also a green machine. It's not a hybrid/electric car, but instead it runs on 100 percent ethanol fuel made from corn. The Aero X sports twin turbo 2.8 liter V6 that makes 400 horsepower at the flywheel. Though it hasn't been officially tested, Saab says the Aero X can go from zero to sixty in 4.9 seconds.

The interior of the Aero X resembls the cockpit of a real fighter jet with a high-tech dash and gauges. All of the gauges are made from acrylic material and designed to display information on a 3-dimensional plane with the guages clustered together with similar ones in a wrap-around jet cockpit-like dash illuminated by blue LED light.

MI Court of Appeals Defines Adultery as 1st Degree CSC

from the Detroit Free Press

In a ruling sure to make philandering spouses squirm, Michigan's second-highest court says that anyone involved in an extramarital fling can be prosecuted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony punishable by up to life in prison.

We cannot help but question whether the Legislature actually intended the result we reach here today," Judge William Murphy wrote in November for a unanimous Court of Appeals panel, "but we are curtailed by the language of the statute from reaching any other conclusion." Technically," he added, "any time a person engages in sexual penetration in an adulterous relationship, he or she is guilty of CSC I," the most serious sexual assault charge in Michigan's criminal code.

No one expects prosecutors to declare open season on cheating spouses. The ruling grows out of a case in which a Charlevoix man accused of trading Oxycontin pills for the sexual favors of a cocktail waitress was charged under an obscure provision of Michigan's criminal law. The provision decrees that a person is guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct whenever "sexual penetration occurs under circumstances involving the commission of any other felony."