Two female Livingston County Jail inmates fled from custody following their court hearings Wednesday.
Undersheriff Michael Murphy identified the women as Nicole Lyn Vermeylen, 40, of Montrose, who is charged with second-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and Lisa Marie Finlayson, 32, of Howell, who is awaiting sentencing on an operating under the influence of a controlled substance, causing death charge. Both women's cases were adjourned to Aug. 10 and Murphy said it's possible jail officials will ask the court to consider conducting the hearing via video.
“It stinks that it happened,” Murphy said bluntly. “… It’s one of those things when you have someone hell bent on doing something, they’re going to do it.”
Police had Finlayson, who jumped into the Mill Pond, in custody within 10 minutes. Vermeylen was caught as she exited a Second Street home she allegedly broke into where she changed into new clothing and stole a purse, the undersheriff said.
Murphy said a deputy escorted the two women to Brighton District Court and both women went through their scheduled court hearings without incident.
However, as the deputy escorted Vermeylen and Finlayson — both of whom slipped from their handcuffs as they fled — to the waiting patrol car around 11:30 a.m., both inmates ran.
The deputy chased Finlayson while shouting at a second deputy to chase Vermeylen, who had stripped off her pants and was running in a T-shirt and underwear. Finlayson jumped into the Mill Pond and an officer was able to retrieve her from the water within 10 minutes.
One witness reported seeing a woman jump into the Mill Pond, while a second said he saw the woman swimming. Both witnesses said they saw police use an "orange-colored dredging machine" to bring the woman out of the water.
"They brought her to shore and she was handcuffed. She was refusing to come into shore," said Christopher Ross, who was playing "Pokemon Go" with friends near the Mill Pond.
Jason Smigell, who was walking at the Mill Pond, added: "They did a good job; they didn't hurt her or anything."
Both women now potentially face additional charges.
Finlayson is already facing an additional charge of absconding from bond. She had entered a plea in July and was scheduled for sentencing this month on the death case.
In that case, she admitted that she was driving with her 4-year-old son in the vehicle when she rear-ended motorcyclist Lawrence Pettis, 51, of Howell, who died. She had cocaine in her system at the time.
Murphy said the department will review its policies in light of the women’s attempt to flee.
“In lieu of what’s gone on nationally, we’ve been over our security policies and we’re comfortable with it, quite frankly,” he said. “We will look at it again, but the deputy did what he was supposed to do. …
“To have (Finlayson) in custody within 10 minutes and the second in custody by noon is phenomenal police work by all agencies assisting,” Murphy added. “There was much communication and coordination. It ended like it was supposed to.”
