KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. -- Today, Amy and Michelle Pelletier faced a Kalamazoo County judge for their video arraignment. Both were charged with resisting and obstructing police officers and both had warrants out for their arrests for failing to appear in court on an eviction case.
The resisting and obstructing charge stems from a standoff which took place Saturday at their Portage home on Raborn Court. Police said several neighbors had called 911 and reported hearing lots of gunfire coming from the Pelletiers' home. When police got to the property, authorities used megaphones to try and get the sisters to come outside. Tear gas was also used. Investigators said the women were captured when they tried running out the back of the house. Police said a search warrant was executed, and a 'stockpile' of rifles and handguns were found inside.
The discovery came as no surprise. You may recall the high speed chase involving Aaron and Sean Pelletier just two weeks ago. They are Amy and Michelle's brothers, and the siblings live together. Before the chase, police spotted Sean and tried to stop and arrest him on an outstanding arrest warrant. He was shot and killed by police during the pursuit. Authorities said he aimed a rifle at them. Aaron was also wounded and is in critical condition.
Investigators said at least three of the siblings had outstanding arrest warrants for failing to appear in court for an ongoing eviction case. It's been described as 'volatile' by police. Their mother has been trying to put them out of her house.
When asked, Amy Pelletier told the judge she didn't show up for the eviction hearing "do to the fact that they never had any evidence that it was a rental. I did not come again because I had already gone to the court, and they did not prove anything. So that's why I didn't come." Her sister gave a similar reason to the judge.
According to police records, the siblings had already put their mother out of her own house. The sisters are due back in court in a couple of weeks for their next two hearings on both charges. The judge ordered them to undergo a mental health screening and to turn their guns in to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department.
The Pelletier sisters are being held in jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.
