Police Officer Scot Andrew Beyerstedt

Scot Andrew Beyerstedt

Officer Scot Beyerstedt succumbed to injuries sustained the previous night when his patrol car crashed during a vehicle pursuit at approximately 9:00 p.m.

He and his training officer were pursuing a vehicle on 24th Street after trying to stop the driver for reckless driving on I-94. The patrol car left the roadway and struck a tree as it rounded an S-curve.

Both officers were transported to Bronson Methodist Hospital where Officer Beyerstedt died. Officer Beyerstedt was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. The vehicle they were pursuing fled the scene.

The driver was a convicted felon and was arrested on August 8, 2005. He was convicted in Van Buren County on December 14th, 2005, of one count of fleeing and eluding, resulting in death. On January 6th, 2006, he was sentenced to five to 25 years in prison. The subject only served 7 1/2 years. He was arrested in 2016 for fleeing from police again.

Officer Beyerstedt had served as a part-time officer for the Mattawan Police Department for only two weeks and had previously served with the Cassapolis Police Department for four months. He was survived by his father and two sisters.