Lashawn Denise Courtwright, 43, formerly of Van Buren Township, was charged with one count of Felonious Assault and one count of Domestic Violence, second offense, last spring after she allegedly stabbed her boyfriend several times in the chest and arm with a kitchen knife.
The incident started with a verbal argument at 11649 Meadows Lane just before 3:33 a.m. May 2.
When police arrived Jack Ray Lantz, 56, of VBT, was bleeding profusely. He was transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
VBT Police Captain Gregory Laurain said Courtwright was very uncooperative and resisted officers.
She was arrested and later charged by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. She was video arraigned on the charges at 34th District Court and bond was set at $10,000 cash. Courtwright was remanded to the Wayne County Jail.
She stood mute at her arraignment on May 16 and a not-guilty plea was entered. On June 1, she entered a guilty plea that was accepted.
On June 21, a motion to withdraw the guilty plea was granted and a competency evaluation was ordered. On Aug. 7 the competency hearing was continued until Oct. 12 when she was found competent.
She then pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon (Felonious Assault) and Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas sentenced her to 18 months of probation and 40 hours of service in lieu of fees.
Before these charges, Courtwright had been bound over for trial in April 2007 on charges of assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer. In October 2007, she stood mute and a not-guilty plea was entered and that December she failed to appear for a disposition conference and her bond was forfeited.
On Jan. 14, 2008 she was arraigned for failure to appear at a disposition hearing. The original charges were reduced to “Attempt” to which she pled no contest. She was placed on probation for one year with $645 in fines and court costs. In March of 2008 a warrant was issued for violation of probation.
On Aug. 1, 2008 her probation was extended to Jan. 14, 2012. Another warrant was issued for violation of probation on Sept. 15, 2008 and on March 26, 2012 she was sentenced.
Then, on May 2 she was arrested again for the stabbing.