Since chipmunks are warm blooded mammals they can be carriers of rabies just as any other warm blodded mammal can be. The pepper sprinkled around can be a deterent, but can be more of a problem then a help due to the need to replenish quite often.
Trapping should be considered but the means of disposal also needs to be condsidered. Moving trapped wildlife in Massachussets, as in Michigan, requires permits and licensing.

"...so brazen as to seem to run at you when you are trying to chase them..."

Great, then next time be ready with a shovel, garden fork, ice chopper, etc.

tj

Over the past couple of years I tried every remedy known to man.Red pepper, castor oil, garlic, mothballs, chewing gum, those gas cartridges you put in the holes,traps ( the bait was gone and the traps sprung, no chipmunk), that stuff you sprinkle on the ground, very pricy and when it wears off they come back. DH said I reminded him of Bill Murray in Caddyshack.Their tunneling is killing my plants and they eat the roots.Last year I put out a mixture of peanut butter, DCon and sunflower seeds in plastic containers. I lay this on the side next to the holes and cover with a box, pot or bucket to protect other animals. They eat this like crazy.I still have a few left, but not the major infestation I had before. Getting ready to do it again.

And when hawks or fox eat them, they ate poisoned too.