Paul Pouttu was charged with fleeing and eluding police.
ESCANABA -- The case of a Hancock man accused of leading authorities on a high speed chase outside Bark River early last month will now head to a higher court.
Thursday, 24-year-old Paul Pouttu appeared in the Delta County District Court for his preliminary hearing. Pouttu was charged with fleeing and eluding police and driving while intoxicated.
Troopers from the Gladstone Post reported seeing the vehicle traveling close to 90 miles per hour. After trying to stop the vehicle, authorities chased the car for about a mile and a half on US-2.
"He said that he didn't know why he was traveling at such a high rate of speed initially; he figured it was probably because he had consumed alcohol and he said the reason that he ran was because of the high rate of speed and because he might be intoxicated," said Michigan State Police Trooper James Polley.
Pouttu is currently out on bond.
The date of his next court appearance is still pending.
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