No charges for cold-blooded ‘Karen’ who ran from Michigan cops after high-speed chase

A high-speed car chase in Michigan ended with police arresting the driver, but the cold-blooded “Karen” in the passenger seat got off scot-free, authorities said.

The pursuit began around 11 p.m. on June 11, when a deputy spotted a vehicle speeding down U.S. Highway 10, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a release on its Facebook page.

The deputy attempted to pull the car over, but after they initiated a traffic stop, the driver hit the gas and sped away, kicking off a “brief pursuit,” the release said.

More deputies, and state Department of Natural Resources officers, joined in the chase, according to the sheriff’s office. It ended when the suspect’s vehicle got stuck between two trees near a trail in Webber Township.

But officers were surprised to find that the suspect wasn’t alone. A small alligator had been riding shotgun the whole time.

The gator, named Karen, tried to run away from the scene, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies caught up to her, but she wouldn’t go easily.

A “short scuffle” ensued but Karen was eventually apprehended.

“Karen is not facing any charges at this time,” the sheriff’s office said. “We believe she was an unwilling participant during the incident, nor do we believe she was ever in control of the vehicle.”

The driver, a 40-year-old Oak Park man, was arrested on “several” charges, the release said. He was also wanted on existing warrants issued outside the county.

Alligators are legal to own as pets in Michigan, though local laws may prohibit them in some communities, the Detroit Free Press reported in 2019.

This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 1:54 PM with the headline "No charges for cold-blooded ‘Karen’ who ran from Michigan cops after high-speed chase."