Calhoun County Jury Finds Man Guilty In Chase That Ended In Crash

A Calhoun County jury has now found a Kalamazoo man guilty of all charges, in connection to a police chase that ended in a violent crash.

The Battle Creek Enquirer says 20-year-old Rayjahn Heltzel has been on trial this week, on seven counts including using a firearm in the commission of a felony and assault with a dangerous weapon. Police say Heltzel had been shoplifting from the Meijer store on Beckley Rd. with another man in November 2016; when police attempted to make contact, they instead jumped in a minivan with Heltzel behind the wheel, and sped away.

Shortly after, the van collided with several vehicles at the intersection of Beckley and M-66, leaving some seriously injured. One woman was hurt so badly, she was unconscious in the hospital for a week. Heltzel fled the crash on foot and threw away a loaded handgun, but he was found hiding near the intersection a short time later.

On Thursday, the jury in Battle Creek found Heltzel guilty of fleeing police, using a firearm in the commission of a felony, assault with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop at a serious injury accident, retail fraud, and two counts of resisting police. When he’s sentenced, he faces between 2 and 12 years in prison.