Farmington Hills Authorities Suspect Arson in Hills Tech Drive Fire

Farmington Hills Police assisted Farmington Hills Fire Dept. Sunday with the investigation of a suspected arson fire at a business in the 38000 block of Hills Tech Drive. 

According to the report, when officers arrived, they were told the fire started in a parking lot and moved into a grassy area behind the business. Investigators said the material used to start the fire was some type of insulation taken from an open semi-trailer parked behind the business. An employee told authorities that it would take a while to start a fire using that material. 

Alcohol-related arrests

A 28-year-old Pontiac woman faces a charge of having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle after a vehicle in which she was a passenger was stopped at Freedom and Orchard Lake shortly before 4 a.m. on Tuesday. According to the report, police stopped the driver for speeding and driving erratically. The driver told police he was "trying to eat his Taco Bell", the report indicated. As the officer spoke with the driver, he spotted a three-quarters full, open beer bottle on the floor near the Pontiac woman. 

A 40-year-old Detroit man faces a drunken driving charge after police were called to the scene of a vehicle rollover at Grand River and Middlebelt at around 2:54 a.m. Sunday. Police found the vehicle upright and noted damage to the Enterprise car rental building and a vehicle on the property. According to the report, the driver refused medical attention but began complaining of chest pains shortly after a preliminary breath test showed his blood alcohol was .24, three times the .08 legal limit. The driver was taken to Botsford Hospital. 

A 43-year-old Novi man faces charges of drunken driving and marijuana possession after his vehicle was stopped at Byron and Inkster around 12:40 a.m. on Saturday. According to the report, an officer on patrol was stopped by another driver who reported a vehicle was weaving all over the road. The officer spotted the vehicle driving erratically after turning north onto Inkster from Eight Mile and noticed a strong odor of alcohol while speaking with the driver, the report indicated. A preliminary breath test showed the man's blood alcohol level was .20, more than twice the .08 legal limit. A search of the vehicle uncovered a plastic tube containing marijuana in the driver's side door panel. 

A 30-year-old Southfield man faces a charge of drunken driving, refusing a preliminary breath test and driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop at 11 Mile and Inkster shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday. According to the report, officers monitoring traffic at Inkster and I-696 spotted the driver traveling 49 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. While officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol, the man refused a preliminary breath test and was taken to Botsford Hospital for a blood draw. He later posted bond and was released to a friend. 

Attempted home invasion

A homeowner in the 31000 block of Country Ridge Drive called police at around 9:45 p.m. Saturday, after arriving home to find the front entry door damaged. According to the report, the man left home at 4 p.m. and returned around 9:35 p.m. to find the lock damaged.

Breaking and entering

Officers responded to a glass break alarm at a Sprint store on Orchard Lake Rd. at 6:36 a.m. Sunday, and found someone had broken glass in the business' door. According to the report, a store manager inspected the merchandise and told police nothing appeared to be disturbed. 

Narcotics arrests

A 19-year-old Milford man and a 23-year-old Dearborn Heights woman face narcotics-related charges, after officers spotted a man wearing a dark colored, hooded sweatshirt quickly enter and leave the lobby of a hotel on Grand River late Sunday night. According to the report, the driver gave police a false name, and officers found an unopened bag of syringes in his pants pocket. A search of the vehicle turned up morphine, used syringes, a large quantity of Ambien and two Xanax pills in the woman's purse. 

Embezzlement

The president of a mortgage company contacted police on Oct. 24, after discovering an employee had absconded with $19,500 in company funds in 2006. According to the report, the former employee illegitimately registered a $750,000 loan and failed to return related records to the company, then wrote a check to the mortgage company and took the proceeds. The employee is no longer with the company.