Pentwater man sent to prison for high-speed chase, felonious assault

James Grabinski with his attorney. Tim Hayes.

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.
HART — The 37-year-old Pentwater man who fled police during a high-speed chase last April that began in Shelby and ended in Holton was sentenced in 27th Circuit Court Monday, June 22, to a minimum of 18 months in a Michigan Department of Corrections prison.
James Darin Grabinski, who has been lodged in the Oceana County Jail since the two-county chase, received credit for 64 days served.
Judge Anthony Monton sentenced Grabinski to concurrent terms of 18 months to five years for third-degree fleeing and eluding police and 18 months to four years for two counts of felonious assault, also called assault with a dangerous weapon.
One count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and one count of carrying a concealed weapon (in this case, nunchucks) were dismissed when he pleaded to the other charges, said Oceana County Prosecutor Joe Bizon.
Police were dispatched to a felonious assault investigation in which Grabinski threatened to cut the victim’s throat with a knife at a residence in the 4500 block of S. 144th Avenue in Ferry Township, Lt. Craig Mast of the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office stated previously. Grabinski fled the residence, and police were notified that he was going to attempt to further assault the victim at Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus in Shelby, where she was receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the assault.
An officer from the Shelby Police Department located Grabinski at the hospital, where a lengthy chase ensued involving OCSO, the Hart post of the Michigan State Police, the Department of Natural Resources, the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office and the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office. Grabinski was eventually apprehended in Holton.
Grabinski asked Judge Anthony Monton to delay his sentencing Monday for “family matters,” but Monton denied his request. “I was asking the court to delay my sentence due to family matters,” Grabinski said. “I’m sorry Mr. Grabinski, I can’t delay your sentence,” Monton said.
The maximum penalty for fleeing and eluding is five years in prison, and felonious assault carries a four-year maximum sentence.