A Detroit man drove a vehicle stolen from the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority into the Michigan Book & Supply store on the corner of State Street and North University Avenue in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, University Police reported.
Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said in an interview yesterday afternoon that only the driver of the stolen vehicle — a Ford Explorer SUV — was injured, adding that medical personnel escorted the man to the University Hospital for blood tests for drug and alcohol consumption.
An AATA staff person reported the vehicle stolen at about 6:15 a.m. yesterday to the Ann Arbor Police Department, Brown said. The incident was broadcast over police radio and recognized by a DPS officer on Hoover Street near State Street.
Brown said the officer approached the vehicle going northbound on State Street and confirmed it was the stolen vehicle. The SUV driver accelerated and fled from the DPS officer when he reached State Street and Hill Street.
The driver crashed into the store to avoid collision with another vehicle, which was pulling to the curb in response to seeing police emergency lights in the rear-view mirror, according to Brown. She added that the streets were generally clear of operating vehicles and pedestrians during the early-morning chase.
Sue Riedman, the vice president of marketing and corporate communications for the Nebraska Book company — the parent company for Michigan Book & Supply — said the store’s front windows suffered damage as did merchandise at the front of the store, but the cost of the damages are still being assessed.
The building, vehicle and a pole outside the store sustained damages from the crash, though the exact details and cost of damages are currently unknown, Brown said.
Riedman said no employees or customers were injured.