Detroit homicide detective Lariah Stevens, 32, was charged with operating while intoxicated after allegedly driving the wrong way down Vernier Road in Harper Woods, Michigan, at 8:30 pm on September 10. Surveillance footage showed Stevens' unmarked police vehicle crashing into another car; a breath test later revealed her blood alcohol level to be 0.19, more than double the state's legal limit. Stevens faces three criminal charges and was arraigned on September 30, pleading not guilty. Her bond was set at $1,000, with orders prohibiting alcohol consumption and firearm possession.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
A Detroit homicide detective has been charged after allegedly drunkenly driving the wrong way down a Michigan road before smashing into another car and coolly walking away from the wreck.
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detective → charge → wreck
Lariah Stevens, 32, was behind the wheel of an unmarked Detroit Police Department vehicle when she allegedly drove westbound in the eastbound lanes of Vernier Road in Harper Woods at 8.30pm on September 10, authorities told WXYZ.
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authorities → drive → WXYZ
Surveillance footage recorded from a nearby Wayne County Community College building captured the dark police vehicle traveling the wrong way down the road, its emergency lights flashing, before abruptly crashing into another vehicle.
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lights → record → vehicle
The driver then gets out and walks away from the scene.
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driver → get → scene
Police arrived to the area about eight minutes after the crash, according to the station.
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Police → arrive → station
Investigators determined that Stevens was the driver and that she allegedly left two firearms inside the police vehicle before walking away but returning to the scene around 20 minutes later.
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she → determine → scene
A breath test administered at the time allegedly showed a blood alcohol level of 0.19 – more than twice Michigan's legal limit for driving, and Stevens was subsequently arrested by Harper Woods police.
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Stevens → administer → police
The 32-year-old now faces three criminal charges: operating while intoxicated with a high blood alcohol content, driving the wrong way on a one-way street and possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
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old → face → alcohol
Stevens was arraigned on September 30 and pleaded not guilty, according to authorities.
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Stevens → arraign → authorities
Detroit homicide detective Lariah Stevens, 32, has been pictured looking glassy-eyed in her mugshot after she was accused of driving drunk the wrong way down a road before crashing into another car
Stevens, 32, was charged following the September 10 collision in Harper Woods, Michigan, where police say she was driving an unmarked Detroit Police Department vehicle in the wrong direction on East Vernier Road
Police said the vehicle collided with another car, with both vehicles carrying just one person.
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vehicles → picture → person
Stevens, a Clinton Township resident was later arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated
Judge Rebekah R Coleman set her bond at $1,000 and ordered her not to consume alcohol or illegal drugs.
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Coleman → arrest → alcohol
She was also barred from possessing or purchasing a firearm.
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She → bar → firearm
Her attorney told the judge that Stevens had been receiving professional help, had stopped drinking and had no prior criminal record.
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Stevens → tell → record
'My client has been getting help, professional help, she has been abstinent from any type of alcohol, she has no prior record,' the attorney said.
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attorney → get → record
The collision could have been far more serious, but police said there were no significant injuries as there was just one person in each vehicle.
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police → say → vehicle
The driver of the other car later provided photographs showing the damage caused in the crash.
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driver → provide → crash
In a statement given to WXYZ, the driver urged Stevens to take responsibility for what happened and said she hoped the detective would get sober and make sure an incident like this never happened again.
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incident → give → this
Despite Stevens being off-duty at the time of the crash, Detroit Police confirmed that the department was investigating the incident and initially said Stevens had been suspended with pay.
She has since been placed on administrative duty, assigned to another unit and put on 'no gun' status while the internal review continues.
She appeared in court on September 30 and pleaded not guilty.
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She → confirm → September
A judge set her bond at $1,000 and ordered her not to consume alcohol or use illegal drugs as well as prohibiting her from possessing or purchasing a firearm
The department said it would hold Stevens accountable if the investigation determines that she violated the law or department policy.
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she → set → law
'The Detroit Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability and maintaining the public’s trust,' officials said.
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officials → remain → trust
'We hold our officers to the highest standards - both on and off-duty - and remain unwavering in our commitment to the principle that no one is above the law.'
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one → hold → law
Former Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt reviewed the surveillance footage for WXYZ and questioned the decision to leave the crash scene.
'
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Dolunt → review → scene
Whether you’re in law enforcement or not, you shouldn’t be drinking and driving,' he said.
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he → ’re → enforcement
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Detroit Police Department for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment