Warren woman who crashed stolen Jeep while fleeing police has sentencing delayed
Michelle Steele sentencing delayed due to pending court cases precluding her attorney's mental health court request
The Warren woman who took a stolen Jeep on a joyride while fleeing police will have to wait another month before she learns of her sentencing. Her attorney, who requested she be admitted to mental health court says the consideration hasn't happened due to other pending cases she's involved in.
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (FOX 2) - The 42-year-old Warren woman who was pled guilty to stolen property, fleeing police, and a slew of other charges after leading police on a chase through Metro Detroit had her case adjourned until late May.
Michelle Steele is being considered for mental health court, but has pending court hearings in four other cases in Metro Detroit. Her attorney asked for her case in Macomb County be adjourned until after she appears for the other pre-trial hearings.
"My client's behavior is several and adversely affected by mental health issues," her public defender Joan Morgan said.
Macomb County Circuit Judge Edward Servitto disagreed with the decision to consider mental health court, arguing the charges she pled guilty to "don't relate to mental disturbance, but rather contempt for law enforcement as well as her desire to be intoxicated voluntarily and then behave accordingly."
Steele drove a stolen Jeep while high through Warren and several other neighborhoods before crashing in Grosse Pointe Park last November. She has a slew of past convictions relating to fleeing and eluding police, as well as resisting arrest, and driving while intoxicated.
"She's got some mental issues, but they don't excuse her behavior," Servitto said. "Is this really what mental health court is about?"
Steele has four pre-trial hearings scheduled over the next two weeks, with the last scheduled on May 11.
Her case in Macomb County was adjourned until May 25.
MORE: Woman wearing tether leads cops on chase in stolen Jeep while allegedly high
"She was at a high speed at certain times. going over sidewalks, going through barricades. obviously, if she would not have been arrested, she would have seriously injured or killed someone," Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told FOX 2 at the time of her November arrest.
In March, she pled guilty to charges including:
- Stolen Property over $20,000
- Fleeing police officer in the 2nd degree
- Malicious destruction of a building between $1,000 to $20,000
- Malicious destruction of police or fire property
- Assault, resist, or obstructing a police officer
She also had her habitual offender charge dismissed.
During Steele's plea hearing, her attorney requested a mental health court.
However, during the defendant's April 27 sentencing trial, Morgan said her request had yet to be considered since she had unresolved matters in other courts.
Michelle Steele during sentencing hearing.
Arresting her required Grosse Pointe Park police using stop sticks at the end of the chase, after Warren police backed off when speeds got to dangerous.