Driver Accused of Ramming Mich. Sheriff's Cruisers at HQ, Gouged Deputy's Face

BAY CITY, MI — A Bay County man is facing charges after allegedly driving to police headquarters in the middle of the night, crashing into patrol vehicles, then fighting with officers after fleeing the scene.

The suspect is the adult son of a local judge, prompting out-of-county officials to take over the case.

The matter began about 11 p.m. on Feb. 22 when a blue 2006 Buick Lucerne drove into the parking lot of the Bay County Law Enforcement Center, 503 Third St., and rammed two sheriff’s patrol vehicles. The Buick drove away before deputies could stop it, according to police reports obtained by MLive via the Freedom of Information Act request.

The Buick left behind debris, including its grill’s emblem, police reports state.

Bay City police spotted the Buick about 20 minutes later traveling southbound on South Euclid Avenue near West Jenny Street. It kept slowly driving until stopping on South Kiesel Street, police reports state.

Officers approached the sedan and noted it bore heavy damage to its front driver’s side, a headlight dragging along the ground. The car was also missing its front emblem.

Police identified the driver, lone occupant, and owner as 32-year-old Drew H. Janer, who denied he’d been in a crash.

More officers and sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene to provide backup.

Janer refused officers’ orders to step out of the Buick and cursed and spat at them, their reports state. The officers began pulling Janer from the car, only for him to punch and kick at them, their reports state.

An officer deployed his Taser but it had no effect on Janer as one of its barbs didn’t penetrate his jacket, reports state. Others then pulled Janer from the car by his legs as he continued kicking and flailing about. One of his kicks struck a female deputy in her face and caused her to fall, reports state.

Janer also repeatedly gouged at the face of a sheriff’s lieutenant, who was initially protected by a stocking cap. Janer pulled the cap off and continued gouging at the lieutenant’s left eye, causing several bleeding wounds.

“I could see my blood dripping onto the ground and onto the arm of my coat,” the lieutenant wrote in his report. “The blood coming off my face was covering both my hands.”

Janer prevented officers from getting control of his hands, prompting an officer to deliver “three distractionary blows to Drew’s forehead with a closed right fist,” reports state.

Officers then managed to handcuff Janer and arrest him. They summoned an ambulance and noticed Janer had a 3-inch bleeding cut on the underside of his left forearm. Janer told police he’d injured himself before leaving his house, reports state.

Janer was taken to McLaren Bay Region hospital for treatment of his arm wound. An officer rode along in the ambulance and wrote in his report that Janer gave an excited utterance without being questioned.

“I hope I roasted your whole sheriff’s department and Judge Gill,” Janer reportedly said. “I hope they’re all dead. I hope I roasted the whole sheriff’s department. I know what I did and I know what I’m capable of.”

Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill retired in December 2022, though he has since served as a visiting judge in the area.

Police lodged Janer in the Bay County Jail.

Janer’s father is Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer. This prompted Bay County judges and Prosecutor Michael P. Kanuszewski to recuse themselves. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel appointed the Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office to try the case on the people’s behalf and a Genesee County judge to preside over it. Mark Janer declined to comment.

Drew Janer has been arraigned on three counts of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, with one of the counts including the clause that the involved officer was injured. The charge is normally a two-year felony, but the injury specification ups the maximum penalty to four years.

Drew Janer is not facing charges related specifically to the damage of the two sheriff’s office vehicles.

Drew Janer was freed on a personal recognizance bond and required to undergo treatment at Bay Area Behavioral Health. He is represented by Saginaw attorney Joseph A. Albosta, who declined to comment.

Drew Janer’s next court date is pending.

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