A 39-year-old Martin Township man apparently stole a utility van from a Perrigo parking lot in Allegan, crashed the vehicle, then led police on a foot chase and standoff that ended in his arrest Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Jason Thomas Schultz was arraigned on charges of carjacking and unlawful driving away of an automobile on Thursday, Feb. 14, in Allegan County District Court.
Schultz, with an extensive criminal history, was reported to have broken a window of a vehicle in Perrigo’s parking lot on Eastern Avenue but was confronted by an employee.
According to witnesses, the suspect ran across the street brandishing a gun and attempted to take an occupied semi-truck; however, the semi drove off, said Allegan Police Chief Rick Hoyer, who responded as part of the county SWAT team.
The man then found a Buist Electric utility van doing work in the area and drove off with it. He crashed the van into a tree on 108th Avenue near 26th Street at about 2:20 p.m. He fled on foot to a pole barn where he tried to steal a tractor but crashed it inside the barn.
The man then fled on foot to a wooded area where a canine unit located him and told him to show his hands and surrender. The man then claimed to be holding a bomb.
After two hours of negotiations, the suspect was taken into custody, transported to Borgess Hospital and released to the Allegan County Jail. No weapons were found on the suspect.
Hoyer said the man admitted using methamphetamine, had mental health issues and was hallucinating.
“Out negotiator did an excellent job,” Hoyer said. “It truly was the best outcome given that mental health issues and meth are the worst combinations.”
Hoyer also said the cold and snowy weather worked in favor of the police apprehending the suspect.
Perrigo was locked down for employee safety as the incident unfolded. Streets in the vicinity around the crash and standoff were also blocked.
The sheriff’s department is also investigating a connection with Schultz and a stolen truck that was driven into a pond Monday, Feb. 11, a day before the Perrigo carjacking.
Schultz was also arraigned Feb. 13, for cutting off his parole tether on Feb. 9. Paroled over a year ago, he had spent 10 years in a Colorado prison for fleeing and eluding. He is also wanted in Barry County for fleeing and eluding.
Bond was set at $100,000 and preliminary hearings in both cases were set for Wednesday, Feb. 27.
Perrigo Security, Allegan Police Department, Allegan County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police all assisted at the scene.
Staff writer Dan Pepper contributed to this story.
Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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