Sterling Heights shooting: Suspect arraigned for first-degree murder
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - One man was arraigned in court, facing multiple charges in the case of a deadly shooting that occurred on Van Dyke North 14 mile.
The backstory:
On Tuesday, 51-year-old Luke Svacha was handcuffed in a jail at his arraignment as he listened to a judge read him the four felonies for which he’s charged, including one count of first-degree premeditated murder.
What they're saying:
On Feb. 1, Sterling Heights Police say a shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Extended StayAmerica. Officials say the suspect, Svacha, apparently knew the victim, Jawon Morals.
It's alleged after the shooting the suspect went south on Van Dyke to Center Line, where he barricaded himself in his home.
"The defendant barricading himself in his house, and requiring officers to communicate with him via text to try to coax him out of the home," said Sian Hengeveld, assistant Macomb County Prosecutor 4 during the arraignment.
The process of the arrest, a Sterling Heights police officer was injured. That’s a separate charge.
"The allegations are that you did assault, batter, wound, resist, obstruct, oppose, or endanger Gregory Glinski a police officer with the Sterling Heights Police Department," said the judge.
Although he has previous convictions, none of them are felonies, and none of them are violent.
What's next:
Should the suspect be convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, he will have an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.
His next court date is Feb. 12.