Harrison Man Pleads Guilty to Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer as a Habitual Offender

Edward Arthur Priest, of Harrison, plead guilty on October 15, 2020, to Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer in the third degree and Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer in the fourth degree as a habitual third offender. These convictions stemmed from an investigation by the Clare County Sheriff’s Department on June 6, 2020, that resulted in Priest fleeing from police in his vehicle, at times reaching over 100mph. The chase continued into Gladwin County, where law enforcement lost sight of him. Later in the evening, the vehicle driven by Priest was spotted in the Dodge Lake area, and an attempt to stop the vehicle resulted in another high speed chase that continued into Gladwin County and ended when Priest’s vehicle ran out of gas.

He was sentenced by Judge Evans on November 30, 2020, to spend 2 years to 10 years in prison for the Flee and Elude third degree and 2 years to 4 years in prison for the Flee and Elude fourth degree, both sentences to run concurrent to one another. He was given credit for 177 days that he had already served. He was also ordered to pay a total of $2706.00 in fines, costs, and court appointed attorney fees.