KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — A jury has been seated in the trial of Aaron Pelletier and the first witnesses have been called.
Pelletier is charged with fleeing and eluding and gun felonies for his role in the high-speed chase that ended with a gunfight at a Portage apartment complex last May.
It’s the last of three trials that sprang from a family dispute over piece of property in Portage and an eviction notice filed against four siblings by their own mother, Christine Pelletier.
Aaron, Sean, Amy and Michelle Pelletier all lived in a compound near Raborn Court. They lived with a small arsenal of guns and police were frankly afraid there might be violence if they tried to enforce the evictions.
That’s why Portage police gave chase when they saw the Pelletier brothers away from the home last spring. Over a dozen police cars were giving chase to the compact that contained the two brothers as it turned into Anna’s Vineyard Apartments, and was cornered in a parking lot.
By that time several shots had already been fired from the fleeing car and some shots returned.When Sean Pelletier emerged from the passenger side with an assault rifle, he was immediately shot and killed and Aaron was wounded, but survived.
In opening arguments, Pelletier’s attorney told the jury Monday that he was fleeing police in order to avoid violence and never had access to guns inside the car.
The prosecution said in his opening statement that the facts suggest otherwise.
Testimony will resume Tuesday.
Amy and Michelle were subsequently dislodged from the home on Raborn Court with the assistance of SWAT officers and tear gas. They were found guilty of resisting and obstructing police and sentenced to time served.
Officers found 27 loaded weapons in the home.
