Sentencing has been handed down to a Detroit woman who fled from police after she was caught shoplifting at a local store.

23-year-old Lamika Samon James will serve 40 months to 15 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. James was sentenced Thursday in Livingston County Circuit Court by Chief Judge Miriam Cavanaugh. James had previously pleaded guilty as charged to 3rd degree fleeing a police officer and organized retail crime as a fourth-time habitual offender. Charges of 1st degree retail fraud, driving on a suspended license and providing false identification to a police officer were dismissed in exchange for her plea.

The charges stem from the March 22nd incident at the Kohl’s store off of Whitmore Lake Road in Brighton. Green Oak Township Police were called out to the store for a retail fraud in progress report in which a suspect was seen removing security devices from high end electronics and placing them in a bag. The suspect, later identified as James, reportedly refused to stop when confronted by store employees and fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival.

Police were able to locate the vehicle and gave chase along Whitmore Lake Road, southbound US-23 and then east on M-14. James eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed just west of I-275 near Sheldon Road. She was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Livonia and told officers she was a 16-year-old juvenile who resides in Detroit. James’ mother arrived at the hospital and stated the same. Police say investigation soon revealed that information was false as James is not a juvenile, but rather a 23-year-old parole absconder that has been wanted by the Michigan Department of Corrections since December 2017. (DK)