It has all of the makings of an old-fashioned mystery -- a sexy private investigator, a handgun and a bizarre car accident.

One of the stars of this real-life drama is Macomb County Commissioner Carey Torrice, a private investigator and actress who gained national attention two years ago for posting scantily clad photos of herself online.

This time, Torrice, 33, and her husband, Michael Torrice, 39, of Fraser are under investigation following a mysterious accident in which an acquaintance and fellow private investigator appeared to hurl himself at an SUV driven by Jeffery Sprys, Carey Torrice's opponent in the Aug. 3 Democratic primary, according to a May 27 police report.

That night, just moments after the crash, police stopped the Torrices a few blocks from the scene. Police said they found Michael Torrice with an unregistered handgun, and the car had an unregistered license plate.

Sprys has told police that Michael Torrice has been following him and going through his garbage on the curb. Now, he says, he's worried about his family, which may move out of state until after the election. Michael Torrice adamantly denies the claim.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Michael Torrice on a charge of unlawful use of a license plate. His handgun and the accident remain under investigation.
She faces mounting controversy

As quickly as Macomb County Commissioner Carey Torrice swept onto the political scene after an improbable victory over an incumbent Republican in 2006, controversy followed.

The 33-year-old Democrat, actress and private investigator gained national attention two years ago after scantily clad photos of her swept across cyberspace, prompting an entertainment and celebrity gossip Web site, TMZ.com, to name her America's Hottest Politician.

While she embraced the attention, even posing in a bikini for national television, Torrice is mum about the latest controversies surrounding her.

STEVE NEAVLING