Child's call, cell ping end in arrest

OTSEGO, Mich. (WOOD) - A young child's call for help ended with a man in custody after a cell phone ping and a chase in Allegan County Sunday afternoon.

The child called police and said his father was going to "kill" his family and any police who responded to the scene, officials said in a news release.

Doezema was incoherent and was driving erratically, 24 Hour News 9 was told, and had both his 12-year-old and 8-year-old sons in the car with him.  

Otsego police went to his last known address in town, but didn't know he didn't live there any more. 

Authorities were able to ping the cell phone to an area around 108th Avenue near 10th Street. As more officers were called to secure the perimeter, a car was spotted going the wrong way on River Street in Otsego.

The license plate showed the car was registered to the suspect, Robert Doezema, and police tried to stop the car. But the driver fled on 106th Avenue, leading police on a chase through town and then beyond.

A deputy was able to deploy "Stop Sticks" which deflated a front tire on the suspect's car.

The sons were unhurt and turned over to their mother.

Otsego Police Chief Gordon Konkle said that if the sheriff's department's pinging of the cell phone made a huge difference.

He said authorities had to approach the chase with caution because they knew children were in the car. They didn't want the children to be hurt when ending the chase, but they felt they couldn't leave the children with Doezema.

"When someone says they're planning on killing someone, we don't know if his children are in danger from him. It's really hard to terminate a chase when you know you have children in the car and the subject is talking like he's going to hurt them or hurt someone else or hurt himself," Konkle told 24 Hour News 8.

Doezema was arrested and now faces charges of fleeing and eluding, operating while intoxicated, child endangerment and an additional outstanding warrant.

He's also a habitual offender. A neighbor told 24 Hour News 8 that though this may have been the first time his sons called the police, it wasn't the first time he has s driven drunk with his kids in the car.

Doezema posted bond and was released from jail.