'My Thoughts Are With You': Mich. Community Honors Fallen Deputy

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI. — The loss of Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Overall early Thanksgiving Day has brought a shower of love and support to his family from across metropolitan Detroit. Dozens of people gathered to remember Overall at a candlelight vigil Thursday night. Others expressed sorrow over the 22-year veteran deputy’s loss via a GoFundMe page.

“I’m so sorry, my father was a Wayne county sheriff and anything like this hits home to me,” Gerald Lunden Friday morning. “My thoughts are with you.”

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder echoed those thoughts in a Twitter post. “My heart is heavy after learning that an Oakland County Sheriff's deputy was killed in the line of duty,” Snyder wrote. “As we gather with loved ones let us all keep this deputy's friends and family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Overall, 50, had placed stop sticks at the intersection of M-15 and Seymour Lake Road in Brandon Township when a 22-year-old Macomb Township man struck him, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release. The Oakland County Medical Examiner ruled Overall’s death a homicide and that he died of blunt force trauma, reports said.

Overall was struck at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

Funeral arrangements for the deputy haven't been finalized, but the Sheriff's office said visitation will be on Monday and the Funeral will be on Tuesday. The location(s) of the visitation and funeral were not released.

The Macomb Township man accused of hitting Overall has four prior convictions for possession of marijuana and a conviction for resisting and obstructing police, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Charges against him will be presented to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for authorization on Saturday, reports said.

The suspect is being held at the Macomb County jail because deputies at Oakland County’s lockup worked closely with Overall, according to a Detroit Free Press report.

The pursuit of the Macomb Township man began in the parking lot of the Lapeer County jail, the Detroit News reported. Lapeer Sheriff Scott McKenna said in a statement that the 22-year-old’s “actions and threats made by the suspect prior to the pursuit posed an imminent threat to the public.”

The pursuit went westbound on I-69 from the jail to southbound M-15 and then entered Oakland County into Brandon Township, reports said. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said Overall was well off the roadway and that the suspect hit him on purpose.

“It is our belief that from all evidence collected that the suspect deliberately ran down Deputy Overall swerving to hit him,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Many people expressed sympathy for Overall and his family on the GoFundMe page, which had raised more than $38,000 of a $100,000 goal by mid Friday morning.

“My heart goes out to the Deputy's family and fellow officers,” wrote Patrick Crabtree, who donated $250. “Your selfless service, every day, every night, every holiday, and in every kind of weather - allows the rest of us to rest easier at night. You honorable men and women do this in the presence of what seems to be a world with no conscience or compassion. We all cannot thank you enough for your service. You are all true heroes. Thank you also to the families of these officers. You too are heroes.”

File photo courtesy of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office