What started for us is a simple Freedom of Information Act request quickly evolved into a much deeper investigation. To tell this story properly, we have to go back to August 1st, 2024. On that date, deputies from the Macomb County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a stolen vehicle complaint at the Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center. >> Where was the car parked? >> Uh I I think it was I think it was a couple spots next to that white van. >> So, near the main entrance? >> Yes, sir. I left it running and the windows down. I came to drop off cigarettes for my wife. She's in here. And the dude had to be waiting for me cuz I sat in there for a minute like writing a note to my wife. And I came up here and that dude was he was on it. >> What time did you last see it at? >> I I don't I half hour ago maybe. >> Anyone else with you when you parked it? >> No, sir. >> And the vehicle was not locked? >> No, sir. Windows down and running. >> Did you see the guy? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I I I have a real vague description. >> Just Did you see him in your truck? >> Yes, sir. I see him right in front of me. >> add more details of like you actually like I actually saw the male inside my vehicle. What he looked like. If you weren't able to get a description, it's okay. >> He's a little skinny. >> Older or younger? >> I couldn't It was dark. Maybe 20 to 30. >> Well, if you don't know, that's okay. >> Yeah, I saw the male. >> So, skinny male? >> Yeah, he's white. >> Okay. There you go. Skinny white male. Um Do you want to press charges against the person responsible? >> Hell, yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Oh, whoops. >> Yep, right there. Push that. You want to make sure it clicks. >> All right. Thank you. >> Over 20 miles away, Deputy Taylor positioned his patrol car in the median on westbound I-94 just north of 21 Mile Road. Shortly after, he spotted a brown Silverado driving slowly and weaving between the lines. When Deputy Taylor attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled and a pursuit began. >> This is suspect Harrison on M-54 West. >> He ran the light on M-54 there. >> M-57, I'm going to pull over Harrison again. Harrison 2, he just hit Harrison 4's cruiser. >> M-57, follow traffic. Harrison 4's on fire. Yes, ma'am. He crashed into Harrison and spun out. Call dispatch on M-94. >> The pursuit continues on the freeway for roughly 16 miles. Ahead, police from St. Clair Shores are lying in wait. >> All these sticks aren't good. >> Okay, we're just asking 9 mile. You get off at 9 mile. Get off at 9 mile. >> Getting off at 9 mile. >> All right, back off a little bit. I got a clear road here. >> Getting back on the crossway. >> [screaming] >> Good contact. Good contact. You hit my sticks. Good contact. >> Check if I hear the surgery coming out here with us. >> Yeah, I wanted you guys to watch them before you do it for the watch commander. >> With shredded tires, the suspect finally exited and the pursuit continued on side streets for about 3 miles. >> Finally, the suspect loses control, ending the vehicle pursuit. >> GET ON THE GROUND NOW, MOTHER I swear to fuck God, you turn over. GET ON THE FUCKING OVER. >> TURN OVER. TURN OVER. >> I'M ON THE GROUND. I'M NOT RESISTING. >> I got his arm. I got his arm. >> I'm not resisting. >> Hey, do you want to grab his other arm? >> Yeah, I got >> Put your fucking other arm back. >> All right. >> We got him. We got him. I got cuffs. I got cuffs RIGHT HERE. >> DON'T BREAK YOUR WRIST, PLEASE. >> HERE, I got one. >> Please don't break this. >> I got one on. See if you can get that other one up, that other We're good. Hey, would you get a leg over his hand right there, man? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> He's cuffed. >> Good? >> He's good. >> All right. >> Turn over. GET OUT OF THE TURN OVER. TURN [screaming] OVER. >> I'M ON THE GROUND. I'M NOT RESISTING. >> I got his arm. I got his arm. right. >> I'm not resisting. >> Hey, do you want to grab his other arm. >> Yeah, I got >> Yeah, I got this. >> Put your >> other arm here. >> All right, it's my arm. >> I got cuffs I got cuffs right here. >> Give us that arm. >> Don't break the screen. >> Here, I got one. >> Please don't break it. >> I got one on. See if you can get that other one if that one is We're good. >> Hey, would you let go of his hand right there, man? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right, he's cuffed. >> Good? >> He's good. >> YEAH. >> ALL RIGHT. >> TURN [screaming] OVER. >> IT'S MY ONLY GUN. I'M NOT I'M NOT RESISTING. >> TRYING TO CUFF HIM RIGHT NOW. >> ALL RIGHT, IT'S MY ARM. >> I GOT cuffs I got cuffs right here. >> Give us THAT ARM. >> DON'T BREAK IT, PLEASE. >> HERE, I got one. >> Please don't break it. >> I got one on. See if you can get that other one if that one We're good. >> Hey, would you let go of his hand right there, man? >> Yeah. >> All right, he's cuffed. >> Good? >> He's good. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> The use of force by law enforcement is evaluated under the standard established in the US Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor. This standard requires the actions be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene without the benefit of hindsight. It also considers three primary factors. The severity of the suspected offense, whether the subject poses an immediate threat, and whether the suspect is actively resisting or attempting to flee. >> Ready? >> One, two, three, left. >> One detective. >> You're a stupid mother You know that? >> I'm sorry, guys. >> All right, You can it. So glad I didn't run your dumb ass over. >> Can I get my foot? >> Two flaps. How about that? >> Nice. >> Which car? >> Let's see. >> Hey Cherry. Yeah, let me take a look. Beautiful. Thank you. Yep. What's up Peds? >> What's up buddy? >> How you doing man? >> I work man. >> You got any fucking things on you dude? >> No sir. >> Nothing? >> No. >> Why didn't you stop for me on 94 when I first lit you up? >> I'm sorry. >> Look what we just did. We went through fucking multiple cities chasing your dumb ass. >> I have nothing I promise. All I got is cigarettes and a lighter. >> Figures. Don't do anything stupid. >> I won't I promise. >> Yeah, okay. >> Thank you. >> Hi Care. How you doing girl? >> How are you? >> Not bad. >> Thanks for the help. >> Oh anytime. >> Yeah. I do what I do these points car. Yeah, we're good man. >> [laughter] >> Who is this I don't know after we take a breath we'll figure that out. >> You got on there and you were there when he was squirreling and I was like >> Why can't they even take the radio so she can drive like they're >> falling off the truck. >> [laughter] >> You good right there? >> I'm sorry. >> What's the bloody eye from? >> I don't know. >> You don't know? >> Call in cops. >> Did you hit your head at all? >> No, they >> So, when you tripped and fell on the ground over there? >> I guess. >> All right. >> I'm going to read you something before I ask you any more questions. >> charging with assault on PO? He hit me with his car. Oh, yeah. >> I hit who? >> Me, asshole. >> Sorry. >> Fuck you. >> I'm still sorry. >> I'll see you there. >> See you. It's good seeing you. I got to get some of this stuff. I just told him to go fuck himself on camera. I don't care. Who did I hit? Man, I'm sorry. Fuck you. >> What happened? >> Where's this Where's this >> Following the incident, deputies are recorded discussing the suspect's condition. During this exchange, Deputy Taylor states that the suspect reported sustaining his injury from a fall prior to the encounter. Shortly after making that statement, he appears to gesture toward his body camera, indicating it is still recording. Deputy Wood can be heard telling him to turn it off, and it is subsequently deactivated. >> stuff >> I'll trans- I'll transport him. I'll transport him while you write. Sound good? >> You sure? >> Absolutely. >> Cuz I don't mind taking him. >> No, I know you don't. >> He does have a like a little boo-boo on his head. He said he got it from falling on the ground over there. >> Well, then. >> Because recording was interrupted, the full context of the conversation is not available. When audio resumes, deputies continue discussing how the subject, identified as David Anasinski, may have sustained his injuries. >> I don't I'm so sorry, right, >> Again. >> Yeah. Can I please grab my slides? Uh I'll try and find them. They're under the car. Right there. Ow. All right. So, >> give Robert call and see if that's what he wants. >> Okay. Um >> he was DOA, but >> I mean, if you'd have got it in Yeah, that's one of his. Uh Yeah. I'll give boss call. >> He's like I said, he got it whenever he was on the ground, but >> I understand what you're saying. He didn't get it in the vehicle. That's why I'm like, "Yeah, it's not bad at all." But >> it when we took him down to >> I see what you're saying. >> When we got him in the shorts, took him >> Uh all right. You guys Do you need anything else from me right now? You good back there? >> No. >> What's wrong? >> I'm okay. >> No, tell me what If you got something wrong, tell me. >> I mean, my head hurts. >> All right. >> My handcuffs are really tight. >> They're tight? >> Yeah. >> All right. Give me a second. I'm going to loosen up your handcuffs. I got to make a phone call. And then we'll get out of here, all right? But don't on your hands, man. >> Uh >> Don't lay on your hands. That's going to make it worse. All right? >> Okay. >> You said >> Never mind. >> Dude, had you stopped for me when I first put my lights on up in Harrison, >> Uh-huh. >> you'd have something to look You'd have a charge to look at, but you wouldn't have all the multiple charges you got right now, man. I'm just letting you know. >> How many multiple charges did I get? >> I'll let you know when we get back. >> A lot. >> I'll let you know. >> Deputy Taylor mutes his body camera during a conversation with his supervisor, Sergeant Robert Lockaby. The content of that exchange was not captured or documented. Following this interaction, Deputy Taylor transports the suspect to the jail despite visible facial injuries and the suspect's request for medical attention. >> All righty. Were they both on >> They were on the ground. >> spikes on me? >> What's up? >> No. >> Did they hit me with the spike strips? >> Yeah. >> This is a flat tire. You can't steer for shit. >> And you know that, don't you, man? >> Can you give me a text when you get a chance? >> [clears throat] >> What'd you do? You good? >> No. >> What'd you do, dude? David. >> I'm okay, bud. >> What'd you do? >> I want to talk, man. >> Did you kick the door? >> No, I was just trying to sit up. And I was laying down. I wasn't kicking it on purpose, being aggressive or nothing. I was just trying to sit up. >> I got you. Just try and sit up for me, all right? I'll have you out of there in 20 minutes. >> Where are we going? Hospital? >> Right now, we're going to the jail. >> I'm not going to the hospital? Nah. Hello. >> Not at the moment right now, no. >> I ain't done. Thank you guys for being good cops, man. You guys are good. Even though I'm going to jail, I I I appreciate what you guys do, man. I really do. I'm not a bad person, man. I just >> Yeah, I don't know you at all, man. >> I'm a good good man. >> People got their own problems. Everybody does. You're right. >> Help me on the block. That block was the block where in drug house is at. >> So, he's headed back to a familiar place? >> Dude, I was just going to buy some dope and go back. He is bleeding, man. >> We have nurses at the jail. >> Yeah, that ain't working. >> No, they're good. >> God damn, them cops are vicious. They damn near ripped my arms off. They get mad when you run, huh? You guys get pissed when you run, huh? >> It's a It's a heightened situation right there, man. >> Yeah, cuz you guys are all like family. You work together every day. I get it. And you guys get hurt one of your own, it You guys take that shit serious, I get it. I didn't try to hurt her, man. I had no intention of hurting nobody. I did this once. I did But, you guys didn't get my flops? >> Here's a fortune of flops and I'm going to buy what he hurt. >> No. >> [clears throat] >> All right, man. You step out. Let's go around this way. Look at his hip. >> I don't know what happened. I think they hit him with something. >> All right, I take both of you and you going to be chill? >> Yeah, I'm pretty sure. >> All right, man. >> All right, man. Now, where did my gun go? >> Nobody wants to do that. That's why I asked. >> No. I don't I don't want to get beat up either. >> Stand right over here and nurse going to look at you. >> Is he looking at me through a window? >> Yeah, he's got to go to the hospital. >> Jeff, we're I'll take him there. Can I get him a like a pair of jail flops or something? He's barefoot right now. >> David is refused by the jail nurse, who informs Deputy Taylor that David needs to be cleared by the hospital before being in-processed at the jail. >> You guys left my slides there? I guess that's a yeah. >> $100 slide. >> David is then transported to a hospital where injuries are documented by an evidence technician. >> Who did that to you? >> Police. Not him. Another police. Shoved this little taser in my face and smacked me in the leg. >> Where was this at? >> Detroit. >> Detroit? >> Somewhere in Detroit. I have no idea. >> Sherwood Park and University Street. >> What did they say you did? >> I I did it. There's no doubt about it. >> What did you do? >> Stole a car. Go ahead and burn the bowl. [snorts] Hit a cop car. >> What? >> Yeah, we drove it for a little bit. >> How did you say you got the cut on your head? >> By the cop hitting me in the face with the taser. >> Oh, it wasn't me. I don't even think it wasn't you. I don't even think it was a sheriff's deputy. >> One of the cops who dropped me >> I got you. Let me see your head. Bad. To be honest, after they clean that up, who knows if you'll even need stitches. I don't know. >> [snorts] >> I can't tell. It feels like it might get black. >> What's up? >> Feels like it might might get a black eye. >> Yeah. >> I think so. Yeah, you can warn me when it's >> I don't know. The orbital bone's kind of a weird place. Sometimes it just splits open and then you bleed and then >> Well, I definitely wouldn't know now for sure. That's [snorts] a good thing. >> Not winning. >> Silver lining right there. >> Yeah. >> I mean, from what you're telling me, that sounds like the root of your problem. >> It is. I agree. It is. It makes me do the dumb shit. It makes me not think about consequences. It makes me not think about actions. Like I'm spontaneous and >> Mhm. >> It's so stupid, man. God damn, I feel like my shoulder is fucked. It's my neck, too. You did that to me. Look at my shoulder. My letter nine fucking I don't know what the fuck This guy did. I wasn't It was this and that all. Well, I'm ready to go. >> [snorts] >> Once I was I was on the ground, man. >> Just the left side? It was just the left. That's all that was hurting you, right? That's the only injury that I seen on you. >> My shoulder, too. >> I'll document that. >> During review of the available records, no use of force reports were identified from either the Macomb County Sheriff's Office or the Saint Clair Shores Police Department. This is based on the records produced in response to requests submitted to both agencies. At the same time, accounts from officers and deputies on scene differ in how the suspect was brought to the ground and whether any strikes occurred. One report indicates that a Taser was held at a high ready position without mention of physical strikes. Another report describes police assisting the suspect to the ground also without reference to strikes. Due to camera positioning and limited angles, it is not possible for us to conclusively determine whether a flashlight or Taser made contact with the suspect's head. However, portions of the audio and video may be interpreted in different ways. We provided the available footage to four independent MCOLES certified sworn law enforcement officers for review. Based on the materials shown, each indicated that if a strike occurred, as it appears in the footage, it would likely be considered inconsistent with accepted use of force standards. Some also noted that post-incident actions of the officers and deputies, if accurately understood, could constitute a violation of Michigan law. >> He's like you said, he got it whenever he was on the ground, but I understand what you're saying. He didn't get it in the vehicle. That's why I'm like, "Oh, it's not bad intro." >> We submitted our Freedom of Information Act request for footage on October 23rd, 2025. Per Michigan law, a response was required no later than October 31st. The deadline came and went in silence. Follow-up calls were made on November 6th and 12th, and emails were sent on November 17th and 26th. A cost estimate was eventually received on December 1st, though aspects of that estimate remained unclear as of December 9th. After filing an appeal with the Macomb County Executive, partial records were released on December 30th. However, certain recordings, specifically Deputy Perry's body camera and Deputy Black's dash camera, were not included. On February 6th, 2026, the county indicated that all responsive records had been produced, approximately 98 days after the statutory deadline. The absence of the additional recordings has not been explained in the materials provided. In an effort to obtain further clarification pertaining to this incident, we attempted to contact detectives from both agencies. After multiple tries, we spoke with a staff member at the Macomb County Sheriff's Office on February 2nd. We were advised that we could not file a report or speak directly with a detective because we were not involved in the incident. When asked for clarification, we were told this restriction was based on the law. We have not identified a specific Michigan statute that prohibits a third party from reporting a potential crime. Attempts to contact the St. Clair Shores Police Department resulted in multiple voicemails without returned calls. As a result of this incident, David Anuszkiewicz was charged with unlawful driving away of an automobile, assault with a dangerous weapon, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing, and a habitual offender fourth enhancement. The felonious assault charge appears to be related to the collision involving a patrol vehicle during the pursuit. >> It's kind of the right spot. If he had If he had hit that just a little harder, he'd have been >> He wobbled me a little bit. >> It's brown stain in the garage. >> He was going to call the forensics. >> David ultimately pleaded guilty. The fleeing and eluding and R&O charges were dismissed, and the habitual offender enhancement was removed. He was sentenced to 365 days in the Macomb County Jail with credit for 35 days served along with 2 years of probation and approximately $9,200 in fines and court costs. It should also be noted David does have an extensive criminal history. While we don't consider ourselves auditors, it is startling how many Michigan agencies operate in non-compliance with the state's FOIA statutes. Whether it's due to poor training, weak legislation, or nefarious agendas, these requests shouldn't take a legal battle to fulfill. 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