Published: January 02, 2009 07:00 pm      

Man wanted after alleged police chase

THOMPSONVILLE -- A man with an extensive driving record and history of fleeing police now faces more charges including hitting a sheriff's patrol car.

Eric Arthur Mauser, 34, was still on the loose Friday afternoon and is wanted on felony charges of fleeing and eluding and felonious assault with a motor vehicle after an early morning pursuit on Thursday in Thompsonville.

Mauser allegedly slammed into a Benzie County sheriff's patrol car driven by Sgt. Troy Lamerson. The collision sent Lamerson into a ditch.

"I absolutely believe if he continues to get behind the wheel of a vehicle, that he is going to injure or kill somebody," Lamerson said. "He has no respect for others."

Mauser has been to prison multiple times and has six other fleeing and eluding convictions, Lamerson said.

"Both myself and the state police that were chasing him had been in previous pursuits with this guy before," he said.

In the past 10 years, Mauser racked up seven speeding tickets, a drunken driving arrest and other offenses including driving on suspended and revoked licenses, according to Secretary of State records.

Mauser's expired license lists an Honor address, but Lamerson believes he works out of state.

Mauser had been to three bars on New Year's Eve and had been drinking, Lamerson said. The pursuit began shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday in Thompsonville when Lamerson attempted to pull over Mauser in a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Jeep had a defective headlight, Lamerson said.

Mauser allegedly sped through four stop signs and headed toward Crystal Mountain at more than 80 miles per hour. Lamerson said he stopped his chase when he lost Mauser near the intersection of Lindy Road and M-115.

But about 10 minutes later, state police from the Manistee post found the Jeep on Kurick Road south of M-115 just inside Manistee County.

Lamerson caught up as Mauser started to flee state troopers.

"I pulled out and blocked the Jeep with my patrol car, he then rammed my patrol car, knocking me into a snow bank," Lamerson said.

Lamerson was uninjured, but there was nearly $2,000 worth of damage to his patrol car.

State troopers continued to follow Mauser but lost sight of him on Glovers Lake Road.

Troopers tracked the Jeep's license plate number to a Beulah woman who was a passenger in the Jeep during the chase, Lamerson said.

Officials found the car at her house at about noon on Thursday, but didn't find Mauser.