A Detroit man accused of shooting at the vehicle of a Wayne County sheriff’s deputy has been charged, officials said.
Ashton James Ruffin is scheduled to be arraigned later Friday in the Harper Woods district court via videoconference on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon, two counts of resisting arrest, and five counts of using a firearm during the commission of a felony, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said.
If convicted, he faces up to life in prison for the assault with intent to murder charge, up to 10 years for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, up to 10 years for discharging a firearm from a vehicle, up to five years for carrying a concealed weapon, up to two years for each count of resisting arrest, and up to two years for each count of using a firearm during a felony.
Authorities allege the 20-year-old shot at a Wayne County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle at about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Officials said that the vehicle was traveling on eastbound Interstate 94 near Moross Road in Harper Woods as part of an investigation.
Police said Ruffin produced and fired a handgun out of the driver’s side window of his vehicle, striking the police car before he drove off.
They said the deputy in the targeted vehicle was not injured.
Detectives said they located and arrested the suspect a short time later.
The case follows other recent incidents in which police officers in Michigan have been fired upon.
Last week, police fatally shot an assault suspect who fired shots at them during an hours-long standoff in northeast Kalamazoo County.
Earlier this month, a Detroit man was arrested on Detroit’s west side after he allegedly opened fire on court bailiffs serving an eviction notice.
Last month, a man was fatally shoton the city’s west side after he allegedly fired at Detroit police while they executed a search warrant.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit man accused of shooting at Wayne Co. deputy on I-94 charged
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
