Mark Richardson
Member
Detroit News, Sunday, April 9, 1967
By Robert M. Pavich, Staff Writer
The car made an illegal turn and zipped down Riverside drive in Detroit. Two police cars gave chase.
The car rolled to a boat launching ramp at the foot of Riverside, plunged into the Detroit River-and kept right on going.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Patrolman Marvin Kreitsch, 48, an 18-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department. “All I could think was, there goes the ticket,” said Patrolman Keith Wells, 38.
Wells stood at the water’s edge shouting, “Come back, come back,” through an electric megaphone.
Three men in the back seat of the car turned and waved to him. The car reached the Canadian shore and drove onto land again. Canadian authorities were alerted but before they could act, the car turned around. It plunged back into the water and made its way back to the American shore.
Kreitsch and Wells took the four male occupants to the Vernor Station for questioning.
The three passengers were released. A U.S. Border Patrol agent said that since the men stayed in the car on Canadian soil, they technically violated no law.
The driver of the car was Raliegh M. Crowe, 44, of 20446 Gardendale in Detroit. He was issued a ticket for making an illegal turn. Crowe is a salesman. He sells amphibious autos.
“Car Sails to Evade Pursuers”
Detroit Free Press, Sunday, April 9, 1967
A car being chased by police near the waterfront on Detroit’s West side hopped over a curb, bumped through a park, drove down a launching ramp and scooted across the Detroit River to Canada Saturday night.
Patrolman Marvin Kreitsch observed the car make an illegal turn onto Riverside Drive and went the wrong way down the one-way street. Kreitsch chased the car for three blocks and was joined by Patrolman Keith Wells in another car.
Then the two policemen watched the little vehicle – an amphibious car - make its escape.
The car cut under the Ambassador Bridge, made the half mile run across the river and pulled up on the Canadian shore. It was there about 90 seconds when it made the voyage back across the river.
Kreitsch took the men into custody as the harbormaster, U.S. Immigration officials, and U.S. Customs all wanted to talk to them, especially the driver, Raliegh Crowe.
When the talking was done Wells gave Crowe a $6 dollar ($60 in 2023 dollars) ticket for making an illegal turn.
Yes, a real incident just like the ending scene in the movie “Pontiac Moon” happened on April 8, 1967 in Detroit. Bearcat Motors gave many demonstration rides to prospective customers and would enter the Detroit River at a park by the Ambassador Bridge, swim across, exit on a sandy beach on the Canada side, and splash back in to proceed back to the original ramp.
On this occasion R.M. Crowe (Bearcat sales manager) made an illegal left turn while entering the park where the entry ramp was, and the police wanted to talk to him about it. Crowe did not see or hear the police and proceeded on his demonstration ride with his customers. The police were utterly shocked when the offending vehicle entered the water and escaped to Canada. The Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, and Customs from Canada were alerted along with most of the Detroit police on duty that day to try to capture the fleeing car. Meanwhile, the Amphicar completed its swim back to a reception of law enforcement and the newspapers to explain the situation. After being taken to the Police station and held and questioned for 2 ½ hours, Crowe got off with a ticket for making an illegal left turn.
The Bearcat Files show that a red car (106 521 969) was sold that day to Mr. George Ellery, which was a positive outcome, but Yusif Barakat, owner of Bearcat Motors made sure the newspapers write an article including a Q & A with Barakat who explained the whole event. It was printed on April 22, 1967. He was always sure to try to keep the image of the Amphicar positive in the media, which at that time consisted of newspapers and television.
I spoke to Raliegh Crowe’s son Roger, who still lives in the area, about this event. He said that his family still recalls this incident, and they reminisce about the absurdity of it, but understand that an amphibious car was still a very new sight around the area for police and the international border agencies. I gave him the actual ticket from all those years ago. He said it would be framed along with other items from his father and was very surprised and happy to learn that it still existed.
Attached is a picture of him with his wife Sandy
holding the actual ticket given to his father so long ago saved by BearCat in a box in his garage.
By Robert M. Pavich, Staff Writer
The car made an illegal turn and zipped down Riverside drive in Detroit. Two police cars gave chase.
The car rolled to a boat launching ramp at the foot of Riverside, plunged into the Detroit River-and kept right on going.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Patrolman Marvin Kreitsch, 48, an 18-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department. “All I could think was, there goes the ticket,” said Patrolman Keith Wells, 38.
Wells stood at the water’s edge shouting, “Come back, come back,” through an electric megaphone.
Three men in the back seat of the car turned and waved to him. The car reached the Canadian shore and drove onto land again. Canadian authorities were alerted but before they could act, the car turned around. It plunged back into the water and made its way back to the American shore.
Kreitsch and Wells took the four male occupants to the Vernor Station for questioning.
The three passengers were released. A U.S. Border Patrol agent said that since the men stayed in the car on Canadian soil, they technically violated no law.
The driver of the car was Raliegh M. Crowe, 44, of 20446 Gardendale in Detroit. He was issued a ticket for making an illegal turn. Crowe is a salesman. He sells amphibious autos.
“Car Sails to Evade Pursuers”
Detroit Free Press, Sunday, April 9, 1967
A car being chased by police near the waterfront on Detroit’s West side hopped over a curb, bumped through a park, drove down a launching ramp and scooted across the Detroit River to Canada Saturday night.
Patrolman Marvin Kreitsch observed the car make an illegal turn onto Riverside Drive and went the wrong way down the one-way street. Kreitsch chased the car for three blocks and was joined by Patrolman Keith Wells in another car.
Then the two policemen watched the little vehicle – an amphibious car - make its escape.
The car cut under the Ambassador Bridge, made the half mile run across the river and pulled up on the Canadian shore. It was there about 90 seconds when it made the voyage back across the river.
Kreitsch took the men into custody as the harbormaster, U.S. Immigration officials, and U.S. Customs all wanted to talk to them, especially the driver, Raliegh Crowe.
When the talking was done Wells gave Crowe a $6 dollar ($60 in 2023 dollars) ticket for making an illegal turn.
Yes, a real incident just like the ending scene in the movie “Pontiac Moon” happened on April 8, 1967 in Detroit. Bearcat Motors gave many demonstration rides to prospective customers and would enter the Detroit River at a park by the Ambassador Bridge, swim across, exit on a sandy beach on the Canada side, and splash back in to proceed back to the original ramp.
On this occasion R.M. Crowe (Bearcat sales manager) made an illegal left turn while entering the park where the entry ramp was, and the police wanted to talk to him about it. Crowe did not see or hear the police and proceeded on his demonstration ride with his customers. The police were utterly shocked when the offending vehicle entered the water and escaped to Canada. The Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, and Customs from Canada were alerted along with most of the Detroit police on duty that day to try to capture the fleeing car. Meanwhile, the Amphicar completed its swim back to a reception of law enforcement and the newspapers to explain the situation. After being taken to the Police station and held and questioned for 2 ½ hours, Crowe got off with a ticket for making an illegal left turn.
The Bearcat Files show that a red car (106 521 969) was sold that day to Mr. George Ellery, which was a positive outcome, but Yusif Barakat, owner of Bearcat Motors made sure the newspapers write an article including a Q & A with Barakat who explained the whole event. It was printed on April 22, 1967. He was always sure to try to keep the image of the Amphicar positive in the media, which at that time consisted of newspapers and television.
I spoke to Raliegh Crowe’s son Roger, who still lives in the area, about this event. He said that his family still recalls this incident, and they reminisce about the absurdity of it, but understand that an amphibious car was still a very new sight around the area for police and the international border agencies. I gave him the actual ticket from all those years ago. He said it would be framed along with other items from his father and was very surprised and happy to learn that it still existed.
Attached is a picture of him with his wife Sandy
holding the actual ticket given to his father so long ago saved by BearCat in a box in his garage.
