HONOR -- Gunfire erupted after a home invasion led to a car chase in Benzie County's Homestead Township.
Jeffrey Allen Sena, 19, and Austin Brian Merrill, 25, of Benzonia, are expected to be charged today with second-degree home invasion, two counts of felonious assault, two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and a felony firearm charge.
Two men found their house on Brook Street was ransacked early Friday morning. They suspected that their acquaintances, Sena and Merrill, were responsible and went looking for them, said Benzie County Undersheriff Rory Heckman.
The men got in a pickup truck and caught up with Sena and Merrill, who allegedly used two handguns and fired three to four shots from a Jeep, according to sheriff's officials.
The chase continued and another shot was fired, but no one was injured.
"We couldn't find where the vehicle was hit," Heckman said. "That's why they're not charged with the more serious charge (of attempted murder.)"
Heckman believes the incident spiraled from a drug deal gone bad.
"Evidently, there was some money that was owed," he said.
A sheriff's deputy found marijuana thrown from the Jeep when he approached the suspects, Heckman said.
Keys, credit cards and a watch were among the items stolen from the house.
Officials found one of the guns on a small frozen pond in Benzonia. They also recovered ammunition and shell casings, but are still searching for the other handgun.
Print this story
E-mail this story
