By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
A Macomb County resident was found competent to stand trial in connection with the death of an Oakland County deputy.
On Feb. 12, Christopher Barek was found competent to stand trial by District Court 52-2 Judge Joseph Fabrizo. He was ordered a competency hearing on Dec. 4.
Barek was arrested on Thanksgiving in connection with the murder of Oakland County Deputy Eric Overall. Barek allegedly hit Overall with his vehicle early Thanksgiving morning, bringing a chase that began in Lapeer County to a close.
According to police reports, Barek had allegedly walked up to the Lapeer County jail proclaiming he was God and needed to set one of his followers free.

When he left, officers followed him west on I-69 where officers stopped him. He then is said to have proclaimed that he would remove his seat belt and crash his car to kill himself and drove off. Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office called the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and asked for someone to lay out stop sticks, as Barek was heading to Oakland County on M-15.
Overall had responded early Thanksgiving morning and was standing off of the roadway, waiting for Barek to drive over the stop sticks, when the car approached, allegedly turned 90 degrees, and struck Overall.
Barek is due back in court March 13.