Bodycam shows woman biting officer, slips out of handcuffs, steals a police cruiser before crashing
By: ----
Footage from a state trooper's body camera and cruiser are revealing more details surrounding an incident where a woman bit the trooper, slipped her handcuffs and stole the patrol vehicle.
Cortney Morey, of Ravenna, has been charged with assaulting a police officer, unlawful driving away, fleeing a police officer and malicious destruction of police property in connection to the incident. All the charges are felonies.
Michigan State Police said it all started when they were responding to a domestic call around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 3.
The body-worn camera and the dash camera on the trooper's vehicle. Some information was redacted, and the police did not provide all the footage from the incident.
Body camera footage shows Morey sitting on the ground while talking with the trooper. The conversation escalates as it goes on, and the trooper attempts to take her into custody.
When the trooper tells Morey that she can't bring her purse to the jail and would have to leave it behind, Morey begins to struggle and yell at the trooper.
The trooper then tells Morey to get on the ground and show her hands so she can be handcuffed. Morey continues to struggle, at one point threatening to sue the trooper.
The trooper then yells and says, "Get off! Don't bite!" after Morey bites her.
Other troopers arrived at the scene and handcuffed Morey. She was placed into a patrol vehicle, where she then slipped out of her handcuffs and into the driver's seat.
In-camera video shows Morey evading other police and speeding as she led troopers on a chase. At one point, you can hear the tires squealing as she attempts to negotiate a sharp curve, and she rolls the windows down as she speeds down back roads.
In the back of the car, you can see an MSP K9 bouncing and being thrown as she drives.
Police say she eventually crashed into a swamp in Bridgeton Township. The vehicle had to be hauled out of the water.
Morey was given a $20,000 cash-assured bond and cannot leave the state without permission.
A trial date has not yet been announced.