A Roseville teenager has admitted in court that he helped pull off a violent carjacking outside a neighborhood Applebee's last fall, setting the stage for a high-stakes sentencing hearing this summer.
Jeremiah Collins, now 16, pleaded guilty to carjacking, fleeing and eluding, and attempted resisting and obstructing an officer. According to CBS Detroit, he entered the plea in Macomb County Circuit Court and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. Prosecutors say the plea deal is expected to include prison time. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido has pointed to the case as an example of why some juveniles are charged as adults, calling carjacking "a violent crime that places victims, law enforcement, and the public at serious risk."
Charges and court history
According to a Macomb County press release, Collins, who was 15 at the time of the incident, was arraigned as an adult and initially faced a slate of felonies that included carjacking, third-degree fleeing and eluding, assault with a dangerous weapon, and two counts of malicious destruction of property. The release states that Judge Denis LeDuc set bond at $250,000 cash or surety and that Collins waived his preliminary exam before he was bound over to circuit court in December, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.
How the theft unfolded
Investigators say the case started on Nov. 24, 2025, when three juveniles approached two women in the parking lot of the Applebee's at Gratiot and Masonic. One of the teens allegedly displayed an edged weapon, demanded the keys, and the group took off in a 2016 Jeep Patriot. Officers quickly spotted the Jeep heading north on Gratiot, and a short pursuit followed. The stolen vehicle then crashed into another driver near the Sam's Club exit; police say that the driver was not injured. One suspect ran into the Sam's Club, hid in the men's restroom, and was taken into custody a short time later. All three juveniles were then lodged at the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
Prosecutor's stance and community reaction
Lucido has argued that cases like this move far past typical teenage trouble and into what he calls "egregious" adult-level violence, stressing the need for accountability. Local coverage described a heavy police response at the Sam's Club as officers swept the store during the search. Reporters also noted that the victims, described as older adults, were visibly shaken but not physically hurt. The arrests and on-scene reaction drew coverage from outlets including FOX 2 Detroit and WXYZ.
Legal next steps
Because Collins was a juvenile when the carjacking took place, prosecutors' decision to charge him as an adult means he is staring down potential penalties that can run for many years. The Macomb County release notes that carjacking in Michigan is punishable by "life or any term of years." Under the plea reported by CBS Detroit, sentencing is set for July 14, and prosecutors say they expect the agreement to include prison time. Collins' case will return to Macomb County Circuit Court for that hearing, where a judge will decide his final sentence.
The three juveniles were originally detained at the scene and taken to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center; court filings show Collins was later bound over to adult court as the investigation continued. Police and prosecutors say the victims were not physically injured and asked anyone with video or information about the incident to contact the Roseville Police Department, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit.
