A Macomb County judge has ordered Fort Gratiot resident Thomas Edward Tackett to stand trial on 13 counts after what prosecutors describe as a violent crime spree stretching across Harrison Township and St. Clair Shores. Tackett, 53, was bound over following a pair of preliminary exams and is being held without bond at the Macomb County Jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in circuit court on June 29.
What Prosecutors Allege
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, the string of incidents kicked off on Oct. 6, 2025. Prosecutors say Tackett broke into five homes, including four while people were inside, carjacked a man in Harrison Township, and then tore through and damaged the St. Clair Shores golf course. He also allegedly stabbed a homeowner with a fork, led deputies on a high-speed chase that included driving the wrong way on I-94, and abandoned a vehicle before being captured after a foot chase, according to the charging documents.
Charges And Court Schedule
Prosecutors say Tackett was bound over on 13 counts, including a carjacking charge that can carry a possible life sentence, along with multiple first-degree home-invasion counts. The move to send the case to Macomb County Circuit Court came last Thursday after two preliminary exams in 41B District Court, and Tackett is set to be arraigned before Circuit Judge Julie Gatti on June 29, as reported by Macomb Daily.
Legal Implications
Each of the major felony counts carries a habitual-offender notice that, under Michigan law, adds a mandatory 25-year enhancement and raises the possibility of life in prison if Tackett is convicted of the underlying felonies. The carjacking charge itself is listed as a “life or any term of years” felony in the charging documents, potentially putting Tackett on the hook for decades behind bars if a jury convicts, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.
Timeline And Background
Video released by the sheriff's office shows deputies chasing the suspect through residential neighborhoods and across the St. Clair Shores golf course, footage that local outlets circulated when Tackett was first charged. ClickOnDetroit reported that Tackett was on parole at the time of the Oct. 6 incident and noted his lengthy criminal history, which includes previous home-invasion arrests and fleeing-and-eluding cases.
What's Next
Tackett remains in custody as the case heads to circuit court, and prosecutors say they plan to press the charges to the fullest extent. Investigators are still urging any additional witnesses to step forward. “This defendant's alleged actions represent an alarming and dangerous pattern of criminal behavior,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a news release, as reported by CBS News Detroit. Tackett's next formal court date is the June 29 arraignment in Macomb County Circuit Court.
