WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — It was about 2:55 a.m. on Thursday when police say they tried to stop a woman in the area of Eight Mile and Schoenherr. Instead the mom, behind the wheel with two children in the back, took off.
7 Action News cameras were the only ones in the courtroom as the mom, Hannah Thompson, faced an arraignment.
When the judge told her she is charged with driving with a suspended license and fleeing and eluding police she broke down.
Police shared dash cam video of the chase. Warren Police say she ran stop signs, seemed to pull over, only to take off as police got out of the car and never went over about 45 miles per hour.
Her children, ages 2 and 7, were in the back seat unsecured.
A man in the passenger seat can be seen waving his arms out one of the windows. At some point that man left the vehicle.
Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer says they called off the chase for safety purposes.
Thompson allegedly rear-ended another car, giving the other driver minor injuries near 7 mile and Mount Elliott. She continued going for sometime - until police finally arrested her.
Her children were turned over to Child Protective Services.
“Now she is saying the man in the car put a knife to her throat,” said Dwyer. “But it is pretty unbelievable.”
Police want to talk to that man.
Thompson told the judge she was homeless. Judge Suzanne Faunce voiced concerns she would not appear for court hearings and set her bond at $30,000 cash.
