Jennifer Ellick, 28, of Van Buren Township, who has been charged with assault and battery, failed to show up for her 9 a.m. appointment at 34th District Court in Romulus on April 1.
A Wayne County assistant prosecutor signed a warrant for Ellick’s arrest for not showing up for court and Judge William Szlinis signed a bench warrant. Szlinis, who is retired from the 34th District Court bench, was serving as a visiting judge, filling in for Chief Judge Tina Brooks Green.
The original incident that had Ellick scheduled for a preliminary exam occurred on Feb. 20.
Enrica Hensley, 66, who has run Enrica’s Golden Needle, 436 Main Street, in downtown Belleville, for over 30 years, told police how she ended up with a black eye, broken glasses, and bruised arms.
She said it all started when a bride-elect brought a wedding dress to her shop for alterations. Hensley said she also replaced a missing hook and pressed the crinoline.
On Feb. 20, around noon, the bride, mother-in-law to be, and bridesmaid came to pick up the dress. The bride complained that it was wrinkled and some things weren’t done.
Hensley said she did everything she was asked to do, and more, and the bill was $45, as she had told them when the order was placed. The bride didn’t want to pay for it, Hensley said, and Hensley didn’t want her to take it without paying her bill.
Hensley told police when the three women were in the dressing room whispering, she felt something was up and she sent her grandson out of the store, telling him to go shopping. Her daughter Angie was visiting from Chicago and the young lady who works for Hensley, Angeline (Angie), were present.
Hensley said the bride later said her dad was on the phone and he told her to take the dress and run.
Hensley tried to stop that, she said, and the two younger women knocked her down on the floor, one sitting on her stomach and the other holding her arm back so far she thought it would break.
Hensely said she saw the punch coming, but didn’t think fast enough to duck.
Meanwhile the two Angies called Belleville Police and Cpl. Todd Schrencengost arrived immediately.
The women told the officer that Hensley attacked them and scratched the face of one of them, which Hensley denied.
Hensley said Cpl. Schrencengost said if he arrested anyone he would have to arrest them all, so he arrested no one. Hensley said she was disappointed in that.
At the end, Hensley got her $45 and the women took the dress.
Belleville Police investigated the incident further and Hensley was summoned to Detroit to talk to officials in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office. She brought along the photograph of her black eye, as requested by the prosecutor.
Then the prosecutor’s office approved an assault and battery warrant for Jennifer Ellick, the bridesmaid. Now that she failed to show up for court, Ellick has two charges against her.