Watch Canton Police Officer Rescue Bridge Jumper; Woman Victim of 'Catfish' Scam, Loses $30,000

Area Patch sites provided the following reports. In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt.

Plymouth-Canton Patch

A local police officer is credited with saving the life of a man attempting to jump off an overpass.

Canton Police released patrol car footage this week of the incident at Joy Road and Interstate 275.

The Canton Township officer, whose name has not yet been released by the department, responded about 7:30 p.m. Sunday to the area surrounding the overpass for a report of someone leaning over the rail, according to a news release from the department, where approached a man standing atop the bridge looking over northbound I-275. According to police, the man had one leg up on the rail and was looking at his phone.

When the officer made contact with the man, he put his phone in his pocket and stepped onto the rail with his other leg, the news release indicated. 

The officer was able to slowly approach the man and grab him by his jacket, pulling him off the railing onto the road to safety, the news release indicated.

According to police, the man told police he had intended to jump off the bridge in an attempt to commit suicide.

White Lake-Highland Patch 

A 63-year-old woman was the victim of a 'Catfish' scam according to White Lake Police.

The term “catfish” comes from the popular MTV show based on the movie of the same name and is defined as someone who creates fake profiles on social media and pursues online relationships under a false identity.

A report filed by the woman with police Feb. 20 states that the woman began a relationship with a man she met online in October.

From October through Feb. 1 the woman helped the man, who said he needed investors for a gas station he was building in Malaysia. The report states that the woman spent nearly $30,000 in computers and other items, sending them to an address in Malaysia. The man, according police, told the woman he lived in Illinois.

The woman told police she became suspicious after the man had to cancel their plans to meet in Chicago at the last minute. The report states that the man told the woman he was in an accident on the way to the airport and needed money to help pay for the hospital bills.

Police Lt. Don Nankervis said residents need to be very cautious about anyone they meet online. Unfortunately, the woman took out loans and credit card advances to help the man with his business, Nankervis said, and the creditors, while sympathetic, would not forgive the debt owed.

Dexter Patch

The co-defendant in the murder of a Scio Township auto dealership employee was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.

According to Heritage Newspapers, Judge Archie Brown sentenced Jonathon Aiden to life without parole after Aiden was found guilty by a jury on Feb. 8 for the 2006 murder of William Samuel Kenney of Lodi Township.

Kenney, 55, was attacked with a blunt object and run over with a vehicle outside the Jim Bradley GMC car dealership in Scio Township where he worked as a porter, according to the newspaper.