Waterford Township Man Apprehended in Hartland Following High-Speed Chase

A Waterford Township man who led multiple law enforcement agencies on a harrowing high-speed chase during Thursday evening rush hour traffic along M-59 from Oakland to Livingston County after allegedly shooting at his wife surrendered in Hartland after a brief standoff with police, Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte said.

Stephen Wethy, 48, was apprehended about 6:35 p.m. Thursday after he was cornered along Hartland Hills Drive following a tip from a neighborhood resident, Bezotte said.

“Police departments are as good as the citizens are,” Bezotte said in praising the resident who called in. “We certainly appreciate the help on this case.”

Police from Waterford Township and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department chased the suspect, who was driving was a 2008 gray Jeep Wrangler, from Waterford Township through White Lake Township along M-59, where police there blocked intersections and joined the pursuit until the Livingston County line, White Lake Township Police Chief Edward Harris said.

In Livingston County, Wethy continued along M-59 and was pursued until he reached Hartland Road where he turned north and drove into the historic village area. During the chase, speeds approached 90 mph, Bezotte said. 

The suspect was cornered on Hartland Hills Drive near where the street ends in a cul duc sac. The neighborhood is not far from . He got out of his car and held a gun to his head, police said, then fled on foot into a nearby field, where he again held a gun to his head. A police negotiator who happened to be in the area and joined the chase was able to get Wethy to surrender after about a 30-minute standoff.

“We’re very fortunate it ended peacefully and we’re thankful,” Bezotte said.

Police arrested Wethy on charges of domestic violence and felonious assault in connection to the domestic dispute that began at about 5:15 p.m. in Waterford Township, Bezotte said. Wethy was turned over to Waterford Township Police custody and was being transferred to the Oakland County Jail on Thursday evening, he said.

Word of the chase spread through Hartland quickly as an ice cream social/book fair at  was ended early at 5:50 p.m. and parents were asked to go home because of a situation happening in the community, Hartland Patch contributor Tatum Ryan said. The announcement was not specific, she said.

– White Lake Patch Editor Brooke Meier contributed to this report.

Editor's note: The exact location of the incident has been updated based on eyewitness accounts.