A 42-year-old Clarkston man’s alleged crime spree and run from the law took him through three townships and ended in the Village of Oxford July 26.
Thomas Scott Ulch was taken into custody by Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies in front of the Oxford Barber Shop, 26 E. Burdick St., while the 2004 GMC Envoy he allegedly stole sat parked in the southeast lot.
He was arraigned Friday in Rochester Hills 52-3 District Court before Judge Lisa Asadoorian on felony charges of first-degree home invasion, unlawful driving away of an automobile (UDAA), fleeing and alluding police, receiving and concealing stolen property (motor vehicle) and possession of a controlled substance under 25 grams.
Ulch pleaded not guilty and is currently being held in the county jail on two cash bonds totalling $500,000.
The story begins in Orion Township when Ulch was pulled over on Kimberly Drive around 11:45 a.m. after a sheriff’s deputy spotted the suspect driving fast and squealing his tires through the parking lot in front of the Opa Restaurant Coney Island, according to Lt. Bruce Naile.
Naile, commander of the sheriff’s Orion substation, said the deputy detected Ulch had been drinking so he walked the suspect back to the patrol car.
‘That’s when he bolted,? Naile said.
Sheriff’s K-9 and Aviation Units were called in to search for Ulch. Despite his being on foot, officers were unable to locate him and ended their search around 2:30 p.m.
It turned out the 1989 Chevy Silverado pickup truck Ulch was driving had been reported stolen, the result of a July 24 home invasion on Angelus Drive in Waterford Township.
Deputies found six small packets of cocaine inside the truck, which allegedly belonged to Ulch, not the truck’s rightful owner, according to Naile.
Around 3 p. m. Ulch turned up in Oakland Township where he allegedly broke into a home on W. Buell Road.
According to Lt. Dale Miller, commander of the Oakland Township substation, the homeowners returned to find a bicycle dumped in their driveway.
Investigators suspect Ulch stole the bike while on the run from police.
Hearing someone upstairs, the homeowners surprised and confronted Ulch, who put up no struggle when ordered to leave the premises, Miller said.
Ulch allegedly stole some clothing, miscellaneous items and a 2004 Chevy Envoy from the home.
After the home invasion was reported, the Envoy’s OnStar system was activated. OnStar is a subscription-based communications, monitoring, and tracking service provided by General Motors. As of 2005, it is a standard feature for many General Motors vehicles.
OnStar showed the vehicle was in Oxford Village on Powell St. and contacted village police to alert them.
Village officer Clint Ascroft was dispatched to the street where he saw the Envoy driving in reverse eastward toward him. As Ascroft approached, Ulch put the Envoy in drive and slowly headed west, the report stated.
When Ascroft got closer, Ulch sped up in an alleged attempt to flee and began driving on the Polly Ann Trail, which runs adjacent to the dead-end Powell St.
Ascroft followed Ulch on the trail to Louck St. where the suspect turned left and blew through the stop sign at East and Louck, then continued through the northeast parking lot at a high rate of speed, according to the report.
Ascroft stated Ulch crossed E. Burdick St. without stopping and entered the southeast lot.
Ulch allegedly parked the stolen Envoy in downtown’s southeast lot, then took off again on foot.
To avoid police, Miller said Ulch ducked inside the Oxford Barber Shop and politely asked to use the bathroom.
Once finished, he exited through the front door right into the arms of officers waiting on E. Burdick St.
Miller said the arrest was fine example of cooperation between local law enforcement agencies.
‘Oxford helped us out tremendously,? the lieutenant said. ‘We like it when multiple agencies get together, we have a plan of attack and we execute it.?
Paroled in September 2005, Ulch has a criminal record that includes convictions for larceny, unarmed robbery, fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police.
No charges relating to the Waterford home invasion have been issued against Ulch, according to Todd Hasselbach, public information officer for the Waterford Police.
On Friday, Hasselbach said the crime is still under investigation and Ulch is a ‘person of interest? in the case who hasn’t been interviewed yet.
Ulch has two pre-exam conferences scheduled at the 52-3 District Court.
The first one involving the home invasion, UDAA and fleeing and alluding charges out of Oakland Township is set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 3 before Judge Nancy Carniak.
A second pre-exam conference involving the drug possession and receiving and concealing stolen property charges out of Orion Township is set for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 7 in front of Judge Asadoorian.