A 47-year-old Michigan woman will serve 30 days in jail, spend 18 months on probation and attend compulsory anger management classes after she was convicted of intentionally crashing her vehicle into her ex-husband’s home. She admitted to driving into the house after it was awarded to her ex-husband in the couple’s divorce. Her former spouse explained that they had been married for five years, but had a falling out that culminated in a bitter divorce.
According to a sheriff’s deputy who witnessed the incident, he said the woman drove her SUV at a high rate of speed, straight into the house. Authorities later estimated that the home suffered approximately $10,000 worth of damage. Following her arrest, the woman said that she did not intend to hurt her ex-husband, but drove into the home in order to cause financial hardship for him.
Although the woman apologized for crashing into the home, she made it clear that she is still angry at the man, calling him “two-faced” and telling the judge that a longer prison sentence would protect her from his “games.” She pleaded guilty to one count of malicious destruction of a building more than $1,000 and less than $20,000. She was given credit for two days she already served in jail and escorted from the court to begin serving the remainder of her sentence immediately.
While the judge ordered the woman to stay away from her ex-husband as part of her probation, the man said he fears she might harm herself. He asserted that the woman suffers from serious mental health problems and needs help.
A difficult divorce can make it tempting to take drastic action and lash out against a former spouse, but this case illustrates the severe repercussions of doing so. Michigan residents who feel that they suffered due to unfair property distribution, alimony or child custody decisions should instead contact a qualified family law attorney to determine more appropriate, legal ways to deal with their issues.
Source: MLive.com, “Dalton Township woman heading to jail for driving vehicle into ex-husband’s home,” Heather Lynn Peters, Feb. 26, 2013