Suspicious Man Followed Grosse Pointe North Student

A 48-year-old Detroit man who repeatedly followed a student along Vernier Road making faces and licking his lips at her has been identified by police but not arrested. 

The female student was driving back to the high school May 27 after having lunch near Harper and Vernier roads when she realized the man was following her in a midnight-blue Crown Victoria, Sgt. Raymond Yonkowski said.

He sped up to drive next to her and repeatedly licking his lips and winking at the student. She turned onto North's driveway and he followed but then stopped and backed out of the driveway onto Vernier Road, Yonkowski said. 

The student immediately notified school officials. A short time later, the student was leaving school and the same man in the same vehicle began following her again on Vernier Road, Yonkowski said. She spotted the man waiting near the end of the driveway for North, according to the emails sent to parents. The last email also stated: "Police will be on the lookout for his car and him, but it is cause for concern that he was as persistent as he was today."

According to two emails sent to parents by school officials, the student called 911 from her cell phone and officers were able to initiate a traffic stop on Vernier Road and Toles Lane. 

During the traffic stop the man was asked to get out of the car, and he did. When asked about why he was following the girl, he said he wasn't and that he wasn't too familiar with the area. He was also questioned about whether he drove onto Grosse Pointe North's property, to which he declined initially. An officer told him he would check the video surveillance system from North if necessary and asked again about driving into North, Yonkowski said.

The man then admitted he had turned into the driveway to North believing it was a shortcut to Jefferson Road and backed out once he realized it wasn't, Yonkowski said.

The student does not know the man. Police checked him in the system but he did not have any outstanding warrants or other criminal issues. They warned him to not come near the school again and have his information on file, Yonkowski said.

During the traffic stop, the man accused officers of profiling him. He is a white man, balding with red hair and a red beard. He was wearing a bandanna and driving the midnight Crown Victoria at the time of the traffic stop, according to the emails schools officials sent to parents. 

School officials warned parents about the man, included his description, and reminded parents the man's car is similar to that of police vehicles. 

Grosse Pointe North Principal Tim Bearden said in addition to sending the emails to parents district-wide, information was also given to the district's security personnel. Bearden said the student did exactly as school officials have always taught—to drive to either the school or police department in suspicious circumstances. 

Yonkowski said there have not been any similar circumstances reported in the area.