MONTCALM COUNTY, Mich. — One of the women accused of leading police on a chase through multiple counties in an RV Saturday was formally arraigned in court on Monday. The low speed pursuit left a sheriff's deputy injured and several police cruises damaged.
Linda Mankel, 49, was arraigned over Zoom in a Montcalm County courtroom in front of Magistrate Brandon Olejnik Monday afternoon.
Mankel faces 10 charges related to the pursuit that went through portions of Montcalm and Kent Counties.
The prosecutors office also asked the court to classify Mankel as an habitual offender, which would significantly increase the amount of time she could eventually be sentenced to.
If convicted on all counts as an habitual offender, Mankel could potentially face life in prison.
According to online court records, she has an extensive criminal history that includes her pleading guilty to an OWI charge in 2002, and no contest to a charge of obstructing or assaulting a police officer in 2014.
She faces the following list of charges:
1) Failure to obey police officer — Felony
2) Fleeing or Eluding an Officer — Felony
3) Assaulting an Officer — Felony
4) Resisting or Obstructing an Officer — Felony
5) Assault with Intent to do Great Bodily Harm — Felony
6) Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (on an officer) — Felony
7) Malicious Destruction of Property (a police cruiser) — Felony
8) Malicious Destruction of Property (a police cruiser) — Felony
9) Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence — Misdemeanor
10) Driving with a Suspended License — Misdemeanor
2 Michigan State Police cruisers were struck and damaged by the RV during the pursuit. A Kent County Sheriff's Deputy was injured when yet another vehicle struck her cruiser while she was stopped with the RV.
For anyone interested in sending the deputy well wishes, you can send or drop off a card to:
Deputy Tonya c/o — Cedar Springs City Hall
66 S. Main Street,
Cedar Springs, MI 49319
The other woman arrested Saturday in connection to the police chase has not yet been identified or formally charged in the incident. FOX 17 will bring you updates once she is.
