SPARTA, Mich. — Six months after a motorcycle chase ended with a suspect escaping on foot, Sparta police have arrested a 39-year-old man using DNA evidence and fingerprint analysis.
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Kyle Alberts was arrested Dec. 12 and charged with fleeing a police officer in connection with the June 21 incident.
The chase began when a Sparta police officer attempted to stop a man riding a small, unregistered black motorcycle through the village. When the officer activated emergency lights and sirens, the suspect increased speed to escape.
"The chase did go around town for a period of time, going through residential areas in the downtown commercial district," said Sgt. David Price of the Sparta Police Department. "The officers did follow for a period of time, but ultimately decided it was too dangerous to continue the pursuit and terminated."
Shortly after ending the chase, police found the abandoned motorcycle and helmet behind a business. The evidence was recovered and stored in the police garage.
When requests for public tips yielded no results, police sent DNA samples and fingerprints from the helmet to Michigan State Police for analysis.
"They were able to do an analysis on both of them," Price said. "The DNA did have a hit through what's called CODIS, which is a national system that can link suspect DNA to known profiles. With that, we did develop a name."
The DNA and fingerprint evidence, combined with additional investigative work, provided enough evidence to make the arrest.
"This case started out with the most basic way of trying to find someone. We put out the modern equivalent of a wanted poster on Facebook," Price said. "When that didn't work, we developed new leads. We got into the DNA, and we got into the fingerprint, and all this painted the same picture, which ultimately led us to the person."
Alberts is scheduled for a preliminary examination on Dec. 31. If convicted of fleeing a police officer, he could face up to five years in prison.
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