NILES — A Niles man who led police on a chase and damaged property in the process will serve time in prison for the crime, after he was sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court.

Jemel Rashaune Jackson, 44, of the 700 block of Poplar Street in Niles, was charged with resisting and obstructing an officer and fourth-degree fleeing and eluding police. While he pleaded guilty to the crimes Aug. 1, he announced Monday through his attorney Jason Ingram, that he wished to withdraw his plea and go to trial. Ingram said this was on the grounds that Jackson failed to provide accurate information about his record. But Judge Charles LaSata denied Jackson’s attempt to withdraw the plea. 

When it was his turn to speak, Jackson went back to his original plea agreement.

“I pleaded guilty to 17 months. I did not know this other stuff was going to come into play,” Jackson said.

LaSata sentenced Jackson to serve a concurrent sentence for 16 to 24 months in a Michigan state prison for both of his charges. He was also ordered to pay $3,985.95 in restitution. While Jackson said he had served about five months in jail, he will get no credit for time served based on his parole status.

The crime occurred around 7:52 p.m. May 5, when a Niles Police Department officer observed Jackson getting into a silver Dodge pickup truck. According to court documents, the officer recognized the vehicle as stolen and knew it to be involved in a hit-and-run. The officer also said Jackson met the description of a person involved in the hit and run-incident.

When the officer approached Jackson and asked him to stop, Jackson tore off into reverse onto S. Third Street. Jackson then drove through a red light on Third and Broadway streets and eventually turned into a parking lot in the 200 block of Cedar Street, crashing through a fence and into a building, a report read. Jackson then went inside an apartment.

Ingram emphasized on behalf of his client that this was not an “extremely high-speed chase” and that it only lasted about 1/3 of a mile. Ingram also said no one was injured in the process. He requested that Jackson be sentenced to no more than five months in prison as opposed to the 16 months recommended.

LaSata said Jackson was lucky not to have hurt or killed anyone or himself in the process of committing this crime.

“This was a crazy situation,” LaSata said.

He read aloud from the court documents detailing the report and described how the officer had attempted to keep Jackson from committing another crime before he jumped in the truck.

“’At that point, Mr. Jackson jumped in the truck and sat for a minute staring at the officer,’” LaSata read. “’Then, he placed the vehicle in reverse and tore off from S. Third Street without looking.’”

LaSata also cited Jackson’s lengthy record and said Jackson’s 54 prior convictions sent a strong message.

“You don’t care about anybody but yourself,” LaSata said. “You do what you want to do when you want to do it. You have no regard for the health and safety or property of others.”

Now, LaSata said Jackson’s past had caught up with him.