ALMONT, Mich. – Police detailed how a woman used a spare key and a canceled cash card to escape her ex-husband, who had spent nights hiding in her shed and crawl space before taking her hostage at gunpoint, threatening to kill her multiple times and driving her to an ATM, officials said.
Officials said Jerome Fahner, 51, of Detroit, went to the home of his ex-wife on Kidder Road in Almont, Michigan. Police said the two were together for about 30 years and have been divorced for six years.
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Hiding in shed, crawl space
Fahner doesn’t have a vehicle, but he arrived at her home Feb. 18 and decided to hide in the shed, according to authorities. He stayed the night there, police said.
He knew his ex-wife worked later, so he went into the house Feb. 19 while the children were upstairs in bedrooms, officials said. Fahner got in through an unlocked door, took a bunch of food and put it in his backpack, authorities said.
Fahner spent the night of Feb. 19 in the crawl space, officials said.
In the morning of Feb. 20, Fahner could hear the grandchildren getting on the school bus, so he came out of hiding, according to police.
Woman taken hostage
The woman told police she was getting ready for work when she heard a noise.
She said Fahner walked up to her and said, “We’re both gonna die today, b----.”
Police said Fahner made his ex-wife get on her knees and said, “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you.”
He held her in the home for about two hours, according to officials.
The woman told police she wanted to escape so she asked Fahner to make her a cup of coffee. She thought it would distract him, but when she made a run for it, he grabbed her by her sweatshirt and threw her back at the table, authorities said.
Fahner told her if she tried to escape again, he would shoot her, police said.
Drive to ATM
Fahner told his ex-wife he wanted $500 so he instructed her to withdraw money onto a cash card he would use at an ATM, officials said.
She showed him the transaction, but while it was still processing she stopped it without him noticing, according to authorities.
Fahner threw the woman’s phone and her grandson’s phone on top of the cupboard so she couldn’t use them, police said. He told her get in the car, officials said.
Police said Fahner threatened to shoot the woman if she drew any attention to herself. She said she knew they were heading south, and she tried to get the attention of a truck driver, officials said.
Fahner noticed and threatened to kill her again, police said.
He drove to an ATM at Eight Mile and Mound roads in Warren and left the car briefly to take out the money, authorities said.
Woman’s escape plan
Before leaving her home, Fahner’s ex-wife had grabbed her jacket with a spare key to the car in a pocket, police said.
When Fahner got out of the car to go to the ATM, she jumped into the driver’s seat and started the car with the spare key, according to authorities.
She started to drive away, but Fahner noticed what was happening and managed to get into the passenger seat of the car, police said. The woman pulled into traffic and blared the horn, officials said.
Fahner got out of the car and ran away, police said. His ex-wife went to a friend’s house and called 911.
Fahner charged with 14 felonies
Almont police received a call from Warren police and they told surrounding agencies to be on the lookout for Fahner.
Detroit police called Almont police around 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 after a phone ping suggested Fahner was in the area of his mother’s house.
Detroit officers went to the area and saw Fahner urinating in an open field near his mother’s house, according to authorities.
He was taken into custody. Almont officers picked him up at the Detroit Detention Center.
Officials were going to perform a search warrant at his mother’s house, but Fahner took police to the gun. Police said the gun was confiscated.
Fahner is charged with kidnapping, armed robbery, home invasion, extortion, unlawful imprisonment, assault with a dangerous weapon, interfering with electronic communications and seven felony firearm violations.
He was arraigned Friday and is being held at the Lapeer County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
