A Hartford area man attempting to sell stolen catalytic converters at a Paw Paw Township scrap yard has landed in the Van Buren County Jail following a Friday afternoon high speed chase through a wide swath of Van Buren County and a 2-and-a-half hour standoff at his home before he finally surrendered.
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott says that 40 year old Scott Allen Martin from Hartford Township began the chase at the scrap yard after his officers arrived on the scene, leaving in a cloud of dust, waving a hatchet out of the window as he led authorities on a pursuit through multiple Van Buren County townships, eventually racing home and barricading himself inside.
Abbott says, “Martin ignored numerous commands from law enforcement to exit the household and refused to surrender after telephone contact was made.” The resulting standoff lasted for roughly two and a half hours before the SWAT Team was activated and making preparations to remove him physically from the home when a final telephone negotiator successfully made contact and convinced the man to give it up.
He ultimately left the building and was taken into custody on charges of felony fleeing and eluding, barricading, and for being a parole absconder with multiple warrants out for his arrests.
Thanks to a tip phoned in regarding Martin’s attempt to sell the catalytic converters to the Paw Paw Township scrap yard around 3pm Friday afternoon, the case was eventually resolved.
Van Buren County Deputies Randy Whitmore and Derek Weldon led the investigation with the assistance of the Van Buren County SWAT Team, the Michigan State Police, South Haven and Covert Police Departments, the Pokagon Tribal Police, and both the Lawrence and Hartford Police Departments.
