Shanice Dewalt

An alleged attempt to cash a false check at a local bank led a Detroit woman to jump the counter and take the documents from the teller.

Shanice M. Dewalt, 24, of Detroit faces charges after the incident, which took place Saturday at a Cranberry Township bank.

Cranberry police were dispatched to the bank on Route 19 for a panic alarm, according to the criminal complaint. They saw Dewalt walking from the bank, and pursued and apprehended her.

Bank officials told police that Dewalt had allegedly cashed three fraudulent checks at three other bank branches. A short time after being alerted to Dewalt’s alleged actions, she attempted to cash another at the Cranberry Township branch.

The check appeared to have been issued by Celtic Hospice & Home Health Care Inc. for $1,509.37, but did not display an account or routing number. The bank manager told Dewalt the check could not be cashed because it was believed to be fraudulent.

At that point, according to court documents, Dewalt allegedly “lunged” across the teller window, grabbed the manager by the arms and pulled the manager toward her in an effort to take the check and her identification back. The complaint states she was able to tear a piece of the check before fleeing on foot toward Route 19, where she was ultimately apprehended.

Police found an “earnings statement” in Dewalt’s possession, which, like the check, listed her as living on Bellford Court in the township. The complaint notes Dewalt has never lived at that location, and an investigation confirmed she had never been employed by Celtic Hospice & Home Health Care Inc.

Dewalt is charged with felony forgery, robbery and using a counterfeit access device, as well as misdemeanor theft by deception, tampering with evidence and three counts of possessing an instrument of crime with intent.

She was arraigned Saturday by District Judge David Kovach, who set a $100,000 monetary bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.