Michael Leak takes plea deal after stealing truck and fleeing from police

By Diane Madigan
Independent Court Reporter
In a plea deal on Feb. 6, accused felon and habitual offender Michael Leak, 49, pled guilty to stealing a truck in Sumpter Township and fleeing from police, driving more than 35 mph over the posted speed limit to avoid arrest.
Those were his words as he stood before 3rd Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas with his court-appointed attorney Nancy Shell.
The negotiated jail-plus settlement contains three years of probation, serving the first 12 months in Wayne County Jail, plus 30 days of community service.
Two counts of felonious assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, and another charge of fleeing from a police officer were dismissed for his guilty plea.
The vehicle he stole was parked in the driveway of a home in the 11000 block of Rawsonville Road. Van Buren Township Police Officer Scott Griggs pursued the stolen truck on Rawsonville Road with speeds up to 80 mph. During the chase, Leak collided with a U-Haul truck and ran several other vehicles off the road.
VBT Police terminated the chase at the township border at Bemis Road. Nearby, Sumpter Township and Michigan State Police officers spotted the truck going into a parking lot off Rawsonville Road. Leak’s vehicle charged at the two police vehicles that made quick right turns to avoid collision. Leak made a left turn into a snowbank where he was arrested by Sumpter Police Sgt. James Cayce.
Leak has a long criminal history of stealing vehicles and breaking and enterings. Sentencing was scheduled for Feb. 26.