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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

GTV NEWS: 9 felonies for accused deputy shooter

A man is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday and is expected to be charged with nine felonies in connection with the alleged shooting of a sheriff's deputy. 
William Wright is accused in the case, along with his brother, Christopher, and Christopher's girlfriend, Jessica Carpenter. 
The charges lined up against William Wright are assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, concealed weapon in a vehicle, breaking and entering, arson, unlawful driving away of a vehicle, fleeing and eluding, and two counts of resisting and obstructing. 


Christopher, 25, was officially charged on Monday with resisting and obstructing officers -- a two-year felony. 
Carpenter is also expected in court on Tuesday to face a charge of accessory after the fact, which could result in five years behind bars and/or a $10,000 fine. 
The suspects are accused in the incident that began with a traffic stop on Jan. 6 on E. Michigan Avenue near Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo. Deputy Jeff Nichols and Reserve Deputy Jeremy Conley approached the vehicle, and that is when gunshots were fired from inside the vehicle at the deputies, authorities said. 


Dep. Nichols was shot in an arm and returned gunshots. The suspects drove away and their pickup truck was located nearby, but the suspects were nowhere to be found. 
A chase ensued with a second vehicle apparently occupied by the Wrights and Carpenter. This vehicle crashed near Lovers Lane and Monticello Avenue. The Wrights fled but Carpenter was arrested. 
William Wright was located in a garage in the 5000 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue, where police said he started a fire. He then stole a car from the garage, crashed through the closed garage door, and drove away, police said. 
The 28-year-old was later stopped and arrested on I-94 near Helmer Road in Battle Creek. 
Christopher was taken into custody in the Mt. Vernon Avenue area after hiding in the back of a truck. 
There was a third person with the Wrights during the original traffic stop. He fled the scene after the gunshots were fired, was later found, questioned, and will not face any charges in the case.
Sheriff Fuller says that firing at officers has become a disturbing trend recently and that his deputies know that. 
"So it's very important for the citizens to remember that these people understand every night that they are out there to protect them but it could also be the last night that they get to do that. So yes, these officers were very aware of the fact that these suspects still had the firearm and that at any point we could end up in another firefight." 
Dep. Nichols is a 13-year veteran with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department. He was treated for his gunshot wound and released at a hospital. 
Reserve Dep. Conley has been with the department for one-and-a-half years.

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