Suspect involved in Sunday manhunt held on $50K bail; faces 3 counts.

Cooper

Suspect involved in Sunday manhunt held on $50K bail; faces 3 counts.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

AMBER TOWNSHIP — Bret Rowe Cooper, 46, of Indiana, is being held on $50,000 bail in the Mason County Jail and has been arraigned on three felony counts in connection to an alleged assault that took place Sunday, Sept. 5, in the Home Depot parking lot, 3865 W. US 10/31.

At 5:13 p.m. on Sept. 5, Mason County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the parking lot of Home Depot, at the intersection of US 10/31 and Brye Road, for a report of an assault involving a machete. According to Sheriff Kim Cole, information received indicated a male had assaulted a female. When a citizen came to the aid of the female, the suspect reported pulled a knife and machete and threatened the citizen.

As deputies were arriving, the suspect fled on foot westbound from the parking lot.  Due to the suspect reportedly armed with the machete deputies set up a perimeter and request the county’s emergency response team along with the county’s K-9 unit and K-9 units from Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office, and Michigan State Police. The perimeter consisted of an area of US 31 freeway to the west, Stiles Road to the east, US 10/31 to the north and Conrad Road to the south.  Cole said the K-9 units rotated turns tracking Cooper, who was located shortly after 11 p.m. and taken into custody without incident.

Cooper was arraigned today, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, in Mason County’s 79th District Court on three counts: assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence and breaking and entering without owner’s permission. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 11:15 a.m.

Cooper served two years in prison in Indiana on a sentence of criminal confinement. He was released in June of this year.

Pere Marquette Township Fire Department and Scottville Fire Department assisted with setting up road blocks along the edges of the search parameter. Michigan Department of Natural Resources law enforcement and Michigan State Police troopers, also assisted with the search.

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