Driver accused of trying to run over Michigan election canvassers in St. Clair Shores

By Veronica Ortega

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    ST. CLAIR SHORES, Michigan (WWJ) — A group of election canvassers say a driver allegedly tried to run them over with his car earlier this month in St. Clair Shores, and are now demanding justice.

Political campaigns sometimes use the VFW Bruce Post parking lot to hand out materials for both Democratic and Republican candidates. That’s exactly what the St. Clair Shores Democratic Club was doing on Saturday, Oct. 12.

“Overall, it was just a really great day and we had a few people here and there that stopped and thought we were the Trump tent,” said Melissa Crook, volunteer for the St. Clair Shores Democratic Club.

Crooks says a man took things to another level when he learned their tent was set up in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.

“As soon as he found out we were the Harris-Walz tent, he went from zero to 100 very quickly,” she said.

Volunteers say the man started screaming insults at the group.

“(He said) things that I don’t feel comfortable repeating, specifically, insults that are derogatory to the LGBTQ community, toward disabled folks, and it wasn’t pretty,” said Jennifer Oresti, chair for the St. Clair Shores Democratic Club.

They asked the man to leave, and that’s when he allegedly fired one more insult.

“He said, ‘When Donald Trump gets elected, we’re going to exterminate people like you,'” said Michael Denomme, a volunteer with the St. Clair Shores Democratic Club.

Crook says the man then got into his silver Mercedes, backed up, and hit the gas. She says he stopped just 2 feet away from her.

“He gunned his vehicle so fast that I legitimately thought I was about to die. I thought this man was going to kill me,” Crook said. “I still don’t know how he was able to stop his car that fast because it’s not an electric vehicle, but he did, and I’m thankful that he did, but I thought that was it and I would never see my loved ones again.”

The group says the man sped away in his car, and the St. Clair Police Department was called.

Denomme says he was able to get a partial plate number and was hopeful the man would be caught.

“To my surprise, the second day, the officer called me and told me that he had been picked up,” Denomme said. “There are things I don’t agree with, but I don’t attack people, and I think everybody should just be peaceful and no violence.”

A police report has been filed with the St. Clair Shore Police Department, and the case has been turned over to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office hate crimes division. The prosecutor’s office says it still reviewing the case.

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