BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, MI — A 32-year-old Saginaw woman is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly robbing a Dollar General store at knifepoint, just months after being court-ordered to complete a substance abuse treatment program.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday, June 7, at the Dollar General located at 3545 Dixie Highway in Buena Vista Township. According to Detective Russ Pahssen of the Buena Vista Township Police Department, the suspect entered the store wearing a pink backpack and brandished a large butcher knife, threatening employees with violence while removing various items from the shelves.
Store staff recognized the woman from prior incidents and had previously removed her from the premises, officials said.
During the robbery, the woman allegedly took Monster energy drinks, acrylic nails, T-shirts, a box fan, and feminine hygiene products, with the total value of stolen merchandise amounting to $91.65. After exiting the store, she fled the scene.
A responding officer soon located the suspect near Hess Avenue and Cumberland Street. When approached, she attempted to flee on foot, discarding the knife during the pursuit. The officer successfully apprehended her. Authorities later identified her as Woods, 32, using a fingerprint scanner after she refused to provide her name.
Police recovered the knife and all of the stolen merchandise. Woods was arrested and transported to jail for arraignment.
On Monday morning, June 10, Saginaw County District Judge A.T. Frank arraigned Woods on one count of armed robbery, a felony that carries a possible life sentence. During the hearing, Judge Frank noted that Woods had been court-ordered in February to participate in the TRI-CAP residential treatment program, which offers supervised alternatives to jail or prison for individuals struggling with substance abuse.
Woods had previously walked away from the TRI-CAP facility at 2300 Veterans Memorial Parkway, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant for her arrest. Additionally, she failed to appear for sentencing in April in an unrelated misdemeanor larceny case, resulting in another warrant.
Woods’ bond was set at $25,000, and her preliminary examination is scheduled for June 27.
The Buena Vista Township Police Department continues to investigate the case and encourages anyone with additional information to come forward. Authorities are also evaluating Woods’ prior probation compliance and potential violations as part of the broader legal proceedings.
