MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — A West Michigan woman accused of biting a trooper, slipping her handcuffs and stealing a patrol vehicle earlier this month is heading to trial.
Cortney Morey, of Ravenna, first appeared in court via video arraignment on Aug. 5. She was bound over to circuit court on Tuesday.
Morey faces assaulting a police officer, unlawful driving away, fleeing a police officer and malicious destruction of police property charges. All are felonies.
The Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office says the charges against Morey reflect the seriousness of her offense.
"Obviously, our concern is for officer safety first, but she kind of upped the ante by leading the police on a high-speed chase, and that endangers everyone," Timothy Maat, Chief Assistant at the prosecutor's office, said. "So these charges are designed to reflect the seriousness of what she did and how she endangered the lives of these officers as well as the lives of ordinary citizens."
Michigan State Police said it all started when they were responding to a domestic call around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 3. While trying to arrest Morey, troopers said she started to struggle and bit the trooper.
As police were addressing others at the scene, authorities said Morey slipped her handcuffs and stole the patrol vehicle.
She led law enforcement on a chase until she eventually crashed. 13 ON YOUR SIDE was at the scene and the MSP patrol car had to be towed out of a swamp in Bridgeton Township.
"[Morey] led the police on a high-speed chase, which we consider to be a very serious threat to our public safety," Maat said.
Authorities said the trooper she bit was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Morey was given a $20,000 cash-assured bond and cannot leave the state without permission.
A trial date has not yet been announced.