Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office Clears Trooper in Police-Involved Shooting

UPDATE 2/22/2023

Crawford County Prosecutor Sierra Koch released their findings regarding the trooper-involved shooting that happened Feb. 3.

Koch says that the prosecutor’s office found the troopers use of deadly force justified and legal.

The prosecutor says the trooper observed numerous verbal and non-verbal clues that made him suspect Stockton was operating the car while intoxicated, and Stockton was able to confirm he was driving and he was the only person on the scene. He was not able to identify what road he was driving on, where he was coming from, he had trouble standing up and slurred speech. The trooper could also smell alcohol coming from him.

They say that Stockton refused to do roadside sobrieties, but agreed to do a preliminary breath test. When the trooper returned with the PBT machine, Stockton became increasingly uncooperative and refused to leave the car or comply with the trooper’s repeated instructions.

At this time, the office says that the trooper informed Stockton he was under arrest.

Koch says Stockton then pulled a holstered gun out and the trooper gave him numerous commands to stop and that he was going to shoot him if he did not. She says that Stockton also told the trooper to “shoot” him numerous times during the struggle. He could be heard shouting “either you are going to shoot me or I am going to shoot you.”

Koch says that Stockton pointed the gun toward the trooper which caused the trooper to believe his life was in danger, at which point he shot and killed Stockton.

The prosecutor says the complaint will be closed without criminal charges for the trooper.

2/6/2023

A Tawas man was killed in an trooper-involved shooting in Beaver Creek township in Crawford County.

A Michigan State Police trooper and cadet responded to a vehicle in a ditch on northbound I-75 around 9:00 Friday night. State Police say the car had been driven off the left side of the freeway and into the ditch. They believe the driver, David Stockton, may have been intoxicated.

State Police say during their interaction with Stockton, the trooper shot the driver and killed him. The trooper and cadet were not injured.

That trooper is on administrative leave as the investigation continues.