Bay City man texts ex he allegedly planned to kill just before shootout with police

Upset over a recent breakup, a Bay City man allegedly texted his ex-girlfriend that he was on his way to kill her, saying “blood gonna be everywhere.”

After leading intervening police on a high-speed chase, the man crashed his vehicle and allegedly sent his ex a text with a noticeably different tone than his earlier threatening missives: “I don’t wanna die.”

Moments later, police say he opened fire on a Michigan State Police trooper who used a K-9 to track the man to a hiding spot. The trooper avoided injury and returned fire, shooting the man once.

More than a week later, that man is facing seven felony charges.

Jonah E. Doyle-Joseph, 21, on Friday, Nov. 18, appeared before Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer for arraignment on single counts of assault with intent to murder, carrying a weapon with unlawful intent, carrying a concealed weapon, third-degree fleeing and eluding police, and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, plus two counts of felony firearm.

The most serious count is assault with intent to murder, it being a life offense. A felony firearm conviction mandates a minimum two-year prison sentence to be served consecutively with any related stint.

The matter began about 12:10 a.m. on Nov. 6, when Bay County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Bayfield Assisted Living & Memory Care, 3932 Monitor Road in Monitor Township, after a 22-year-old woman employed there called 911 to say Doyle-Joseph was sending her threatening text messages. The woman said Doyle-Joseph, her ex, texted her he was in Bayfield’s parking lot and was going to kill her, according to police reports contained in court records.

Bay County Central Dispatch advised deputies Doyle-Joseph had a history of domestic violence and had a handgun registered to him, police reports state. The woman caller also said Doyle-Joseph was driving a silver Mercedes-Benz.

Deputies arrived at the facility and saw the Mercedes-Benz in the lot with its lights off. As they approached, the car turned on and drove off toward Wilder Road. Deputies chased after the car as it blew through stop signs and stop lights, with speeds getting as high as 100 mph, police reports state.

Deputies ended the pursuit due to the high speeds. Not long after, they found the Mercedes-Benz abandoned along the side of Bangor Street south of Wilder Road within Bay City’s limits. Its two passenger side tires were flat.

Michigan State Police Trooper Joshua Stinson responded to assist deputies along with K-9 Murph, which began tracking the missing suspect’s scent. The scent led Murph and Stinson to a backyard in the 1000 block of Marleen Drive.

A nearby deputy heard Stinson yell “Don’t shoot me, don’t shoot me, drop the gun,” followed by around 10 gunshots, according to police records.

In his own statement, Stinson wrote he spotted Doyle-Joseph lying on the ground. Stinson jumped the yard’s fence to approach Doyle-Joseph, telling him not to shoot him, he wrote.

Doyle-Joseph, though, began digging in his jacket’s pocket when he was only a few feet from the trooper. He pulled a gun and opened fire.

“When he fired the first couple of shots at me,” Stinson wrote, “I remember the muzzle flash to be bright red and big as if it was a firework or a muzzleloader going off. I was forced to rely upon the muzzle flash to take aim at the suspect as he was shooting at me.”

Stinson fired several shots, one striking Doyle-Joseph just above his right hip. The immediate threat neutralized, Stinson holstered his gun, secured the wounded man, and placed him in handcuffs.

Other police rushed to the scene and found a semiautomatic pistol nearby, a flashlight on it with a strobe light effect engaged, their reports state.

Doyle-Joseph was given aid at the scene then taken to McLaren Bay Region hospital for additional treatment. Police determined the Mercedes-Benz he was driving was registered to a Pennsylvania woman.

The woman who initially called police said she had broken up with Doyle-Joseph on Nov. 3. He had wanted to pick up a cellphone from her at Bayfield, sending her text messages that the phone better not be locked when he arrived for it, she told police.

“if I get up there n you don’t hand me the phone unlocked I will break into bayfield,” one of his texts to her read.

“and I will call the police stop bro seriously,” the woman replied.

“N now that I know for a fact you did something imma coming to kill you (expletive),” Doyle-Joseph allegedly texted back. “Be there soon. Have my (expletive) unlocked or blood gonna be everywhere on my dead sister.”

He later texted her he was outside her employment. At 12:25 a.m., he texted her, “I just crashed.” One minute later, the next text from his phone came through: “I don’t wanna die.”

Neither Stinson or K-9 Murph were wounded in the shooting. Stinson was placed on paid administrative leave immediately after the shooting an investigation was conducted by the MSP Second District Investigative Response Team.

Investigators have since ruled the shooting justified and Stinson has returned to active duty, confirmed MSP Lt. Kimberly Vetter.

Judge Janer set Doyle-Joseph’s bond at $500,000 cash-surety. Doyle-Joseph’s case is set for a preliminary examination at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7.