Bill Allowing Sheriff's Departments to Offer Higher Rewards Passes House

A fatal car crash involving an Ingham County Sheriff’s deputy late last year, and how long it took to find the driver of the SUV Grant Whitaker was chasing, is the inspiration behind a bill that passed the Michigan House Thursday.

State Representative Tom Cochran, D-Mason, says it took five days for police to track down the driver.

He thinks they would have found him sooner if they could have offered a higher reward.

Cochran’s bill would up the reward a county sheriff’s office could offer to $20,000.

Right now the max that can be offered is $2,000. That reward was last increased in 1948.

The legislation now moves over to the Michigan Senate.