By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Niles City Police arrested a man who attempted to flee.
On Dec. 31 at approximately 1:30 p.m., Niles City police officers observed a blue Chevy Silverado that was driving erratically.
Officers got behind the truck and attempted to pull it over.
According to the police report, the truck continued at speeds of 40 miles per hour and after making a few turns the vehicle pulled into a driveway on Topinabee Road.
The driver, who was later identified as James Norman Schuett, 46, of 2500 Pokagon Highway in Niles, parked the truck and started to exit.
The officer commanded him to remain in his truck, but Schuett allegedly continued and said that he just wanted to get his truck home.
The officer then commanded him to place his hands on his head.
According to the police report, Schuett put his hands up and kept saying that he wanted to get his truck home and to just handcuff him and get it over with.
While officers were searching Schuett, they allegedly smelled a strong odor of intoxicants.
He voluntarily submitted to a preliminary breath test, which resulted with a reading of .22.
Police allegedly found a small plastic baggy with suspected crack cocaine in his left breast pocket. Field tests were positive for crack cocaine.
Schuett was unable to prove that he lived at the residence on Topinabee Road and a recent pay stub indicated an address on Pokagon Highway.
The truck was then impounded and Schuett was booked and lodged at the Niles Jail.
He was charged with possession of crack cocaine, fleeing and eluding, OWI and driving on a suspended liccense.
In other police reports:
The driver, Troy Andrew Kline, 29, of 409 W. Smith in Buchanan, allegedly agreed to allow the officer to search him.
The officer removed the items from his pockets and found a small plastic baggy containing suspected marijuana.
Upon checking the vehicle, police found another small baggy containing suspected marijuana.
Kline allegedly indicated that it was also his and advised that his vehicle be turned over to the passenger.
Kline was transported to the Niles Police Department, where he was booked and released for possession of marijuana.