Logan D. Larson, 17, on Monday, Dec. 4, appeared in Bay County District Court and pleaded guilty to one count of driving impaired, first offense, in exchange for the prosecution’s dismissal of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.17 or higher. In Michigan, a person is legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol level is at 0.08; a person is super drunk when their blood alcohol level hits 0.17.

Larson also pleaded guilty to third-degree retail fraud and reckless driving. The prosecution agreed to dismiss charges of fourth-degree fleeing and eluding, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and driving with an invalid license.

“The offer made by the (prosecution) is a very fair resolution to this case,” said Larson’s attorney, Marcus Garske. “Obviously Mr. Larson is still a young man who made a terrible choice that day, but he is young enough to learn from this experience and start down the right path.”

His charges stem from incidents that began about 11:40 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, when a Bay County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a shoplifting complaint at the Marathon gas station at 84 N. Huron Road in Bay County’s Fraser Township. The clerk told the deputy two young men she knew entered the store and one of them, whom she said was Larson, stole five Bic lighters, a 25-ounce can of Bud Light Strawberita and a Jack Link’s beef jerky stick, court records show.

As the deputy sat in a nearby parking lot writing a report, he observed Larson run out of the gas station with a 30-pack of Busch Light, accompanied by the second person, according to court records. Larson and his friend took off in a vehicle at a high rate of speed, nearly crashing into the deputy’s patrol car, court records show.

The deputy activated his vehicle’s lights and pursued them. The pursuit ended after about a half-mile, and the deputy arrested Larson, who was the driver, and the other man, according to court records.

After the deputy read him his Miranda rights, Larson admitted stealing the Busch Light and the other items, according to court records.

Asked why he didn’t immediately stop for the deputy, Larson said he was scared and panicked, court records show.

Larson appeared intoxicated and performed poorly on field sobriety tests, the deputy wrote in his report contained in court records. Larson told him he had consumed a few shots of vodka and two 12-ounce cans of Budweiser, reports state.

At the Bay County Jail, Larson submitted to a Datamaster alcohol test at 2:31 a.m., which indicated his blood alcohol level was 0.17. Two minutes later, his blood alcohol level registered 0.15, court records show.

The other man, age 23, was arrested on an outstanding warrant, court records show.

District Judge Dawn A. Klida is to sentence Larson at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20.