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Slain deputy's widow on suspect: 'he will know that I am the wife of the man he killed'

Posted at 11:55 AM, Dec 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-04 14:53:00-05

The man accused of running over Oakland County Deputy Eric Overall will be sent to a forensic center to be evaluated for mental competency.

Christopher Berak is charged with first degree premeditated homicide and murdering a peace officer.

Overall’s widow, Sonja Overall, tells Action News she is still heart broken and grieving, but is determined to be at every single court appearance to look her husband's accused killer in the eye.

"He's going to have his many days in court and I will be here the whole step of the way as well."

Promising to follow the case she said she was ready to see Berak in person for the first time today.

"I wanted to see him, I knew I needed to see him. He didn't make any eye contact with me which is fine. Eventually he will know that I am the wife of the man he killed."

Oakland County Deputy Eric Overall was killed just after midnight on Thanksgiving morning when he stepped outside his parked patrol car on M15 and Seymore Lake Rd. in Brandon Twp.

He was assisting the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office, trying to end a police chase, by laying out stop sticks in the road.

Investigators say 22-year-old Berak intentionally swerved to hit the deputy, killing him.

The Lapeer County Sheriff says the chase began after Berak walked into their jail claiming he was God and was going to break out a prisoner.

According to records Berak has previous convictions, was on probation at the time of the police chase and was seeing a psychiatrist.

"I really wish that at some point he maybe could have met my husband previously because maybe he wouldn't be in this situation because my husband is the type that has turned around a lot of lives,” said Sonja.

The next court hearing for this case is set for February 12 where the judge will evaluate Christopher Berak's mental competency.