Taylor woman runs out of gas after leading police on three separate chases

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Had one Taylor woman just gotten out of the car parked at the convenient store, police say she would be facing a single charge.

Instead, when Ryann Parkes awoke inside a minivan at 7-Eleven parking lot in Eastpointe, she fled the surrounding officers, nearly hitting one while striking a squad car. What followed was multiple police chases reaching dangerous speeds though Oakland and Macomb counties.

It would require nearly half a day before police got her into custody - and that was only after she ran out of gas.

It started at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Nine Mile and Hayes on July 5; police out on patrol found a woman asleep in her car. They recognized the vehicle from prior bulletins from Taylor police asking law enforcement to be on the lookout for a stolen car.

But when police tried getting her attention, she reacted in a way they weren't expecting.

"They start knocking on the window and once she woke up she realized she was surrounded by officers - who are on foot at this time - she put her vehicle in drive and started fleeing," said Det./Lt. Alexander Holish of the Eastpointe Police Department.

She drove over the curb, fleeing the wrong way on Gratiot with police in pursuit. Once traffic became too heavy, police discontinued the chase amid concerns over the high speeds. Holish said police put out a notice to local departments to be on the lookout. 

Roseville police were the first to find her, though they called off the chase as well. After that, Parkes disappeared for several hours.

"Then she disappeared for awhile and about 7 p.m. the same day later on, she was picked up by Hazel Park Police," Holish said.

Finally, Hazel Park got on her tail and pursued her as well. The chase was short-lived, however.

"Luckily she ran out of gas," Holish said.

Hazel Park police say the woman was arrested at John R and Nine Mile. Police, later identifying her as Parkes. In addition to charges of assaulting a police officer and fleeing and eluding, she was also found with contraband.

"She just made it much worse for herself and what’s worse…she endangered the public," he said.