MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — Newly released video provides a new perspective of a woman's viral escape from a Muskegon Heights Police SUV last month.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, FOX 17 obtained redacted body camera and in-cruiser video showing the March 28 interaction between the woman and Muskegon Heights police officers before she escaped custody.
WATCH: Body camera, in-cruiser video shows woman's escape from Muskegon Heights police SUV
In a prior news release, Police Chief Maurice Sain said the interaction began around 3:30 p.m. when an officer on patrol spotted a vehicle parked at an abandoned business near Norton Avenue and Peck Street. The officer approached the vehicle and spoke with its occupants.
The driver was identified, but the female passenger had no identification and could not initially be identified.
"I already advised you, you got to tell me your name. You got to be honest about it. Your name is not popping up in the system. Have you ever had any police contact before?" an officer asked the woman.
"No. I had this problem a couple weeks ago, too. We got pulled over, the Norton Shores cops, because we didn't have our headlights on, and they said the same thing and then they ended up being able to find me somehow," the woman said.
"So what's your name?" the officer said.
The woman is seen replying in the video, but the audio is redacted.
An assisting officer responded to the scene with a fingerprint scanner, which confirmed her identity and revealed she had an outstanding parole violation warrant.
The woman was taken into custody, handcuffed, and placed in the rear seat of the patrol SUV.
After about one and a half minutes in the back seat, the woman asked officers to turn the heat off.
"Hey, can you turn the heat down? It's so hot in here. Sir, please?" the woman said.
A window can be heard rolling down, which is also visible in the reflection on the glass partition between the cruiser's backseat and trunk.
"Thank you, thank you," the woman said after.
Officers had a few more interactions with the woman, including advising her of her rights and asking about drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Video shows nearly 10 minutes between when the SUV window was rolled down and her sliding out the window and running away.
20 seconds later, an officer checked the backseat of the SUV.
"Dude, she got out," the officer said.
In a video clip of body camera video, a call of a 'female running' is heard over the police radio.
"Are you [expletive] kidding me, dude?" one officer is heard telling another officer.
"Yeah, he got it on video, probably," the officer replied, referencing a person across the street.
"You didn't give me no heads up, man?" the first officer said to the person.
Less than a hour after the escape, police believe the woman was involved in a break-in at a home just two blocks north.
Officers tracked down the woman thanks to a tip called in by a neighbor.
The woman was arrested on March 31. She was arraigned on multiple charges, including escape from lawful custody, and remains in custody at the Muskegon County Jail.
