John Scott MALEPORT [129] ⁸⁵

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BMRC changes shuttlebus policy after recent theft
By Michael C. Guilmette Jr.
Staff reporter

BAY MILLS, January 29, 2004 - A harrowing two-county chase on Dec. 13, 2003, that involved a Bay Mills Resort and Casino shuttle bus has led to a minor yet important policy change at the Resort. According to resort officials, in-service shuttle buses that do not have a driver present are to be turned off and locked.

This policy comes in the wake of the theft of a shuttle bus by John Maleport, 38, of Sault Ste. Marie. Maleport stole the bus after allegedly stealing a pickup truck in Sault Ste. Marie and driving it to the Bay Mills area, where he abandoned it. He then walked to the Resort and got into the unattended vehicle, driving it south to Rudyard, where he stole another vehicle.

Prior to the theft, shuttles buses had been left running outside of the resort so that casino patrons could board a warm bus and wait for the driver to return. The drivers usually left the buses to go into the casino to inform the Fun Card Desk attendants when the bus would be leaving so that an announcement could be made.

The policy change is an important step for safety and security, but resort officials still consider the incident to be a fluke occurrence.

"This is the first time anything like this has happened," Hotel Manager Jackie Leapley said, "But it's better to be safe than sorry."

Maleport's joyride ended violently in St. Ignace, where he allegedly assaulted Officer Ryan Diehl of the St. Ignace Police Department, commandeered Diehl's police car, and attempted to run the officer down before being shot by Diehl.

According to police reports, Maleport then fled to the Mackinac Bridge toll plaza, where he crashed the vehicle. He was then apprehended by Michigan State Police troopers and an Sault Tribe Law Enforcement officer.

Maleport is being held on eight counts, including assault with intent to commit murder, resisting and obstructing an officer causing injury and unlawfully driving away an automobile.

© 2004 The Bay Mills News
Bay Mills Indian Community, Brimley, Michigan
_______________________________________________

Man shot in confrontation with police in a stolen patrol car

St. Ignace, MI

Found on 03/01/04 - By Bud Sargent

A Sault Ste. Marie man is in satisfactory condition this morning in a downstate hospital after being shot by police late Saturday in Mackinac County.

Police shot John Scott Maleport, 38, of Sault Ste, Marie after he allegedly attempted to run down a St. Ignace Police Department officer with the officer's own patrol car, according to Detective Sgt. Robin Sexton of the Michigan State Police post in St. Ignace.

"The officer was responding to a report of a stolen car," Sexton said this morning. "That's when it started." In warrants authorized Monday by the Mackinac County Prosecutor's office, Maleport is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit the crime of murder, a life felony; one county of unlawfully driving away an automobile, a five-year felony; one count of resisting and obstructing a police officer, a four-year felony with a $5,000 fine; one count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, third offense, a five-year felony; two counts of fleeing and eluding, five-year felonies with $1,000 fines; and two counts of causing damage to police vehicles, four-year felonies with $5,000. fines.

Maleport was arraigned from his Northern MI hospital bed in Petoskey, Monday before 92nd District Judge Bruce Plackowski of St. Ignace. Maleport was reported in satisfactory condition this morning, Sexton said.

Placowski set bond at $1million and scheduled a preliminary examination.

According to Sexton, the encounter started at about 11:40 p.m., Saturday on a two-track road that starts near the end of Watertown Road in St. Ignace Township and ends at South Portage Road in Moran Township. A St. Ignace police officer, whose identity has not been released, pulled over the car that Maleport was driving because it had been reported stolen from Sault Ste. Marie, Sexton said.

Maleport allegedly resisted the officer by the side of the road, which led to a fight. Maleport got the best of the officer and stole his patrol car, attempting to run over the officer, Sexton said.

"The officer fired on the car and Maleport," he said.

At about this time, troopers from the St. Ignace post arrived on the scene and fired on the stolen patrol car, Sexton said. The state police troopers then chased the stolen patrol car about 2 mines to the intersection of South Portage Road and U.S. Highway 2, he said. Troopers claim the Maleport put the patrol car into reverse and slammed into the pursuing state police car, Sexton said. One of the troopers again fired on Maleport before the suspect sped away toward the Mackinac Bridge Plaza.

Once he arrived at the plaza, several miles away, the patrol car spun out of control, ending the chase, Sexton said. Maleport was arrested and brought to the hospital where physicians removed three bullets. Sexton said the suspect may actually have been hit more than three times, but it was possible some of the bullets passed through him.

The St. Ignace officer was treated at Stratis Area Hospital in St. Ignace for injuries sustained in the roadside fight with Maleport, and released.

"It's not something that we see up here, where officers have to pull their weapons," said Mackinac County Prosecutor Clayton Graham, who authorized the warrants, Monday.

Graham said he believes the St. Ignace officer correctly used what's know as "the continuum of force," attempting to control the suspect using his hands, then sprayed mace and used a nightstick before resorting to the use of a firearm

Defense attorney Bryan Klawuhn of Petoskey was appointed to represent Maleport, a spokeswoman for the Mackinac County Prosecutor's office said.

John married Melissa DAVIDSON [1065] [MRIN: 76].