Woman Denied Cigarette Attacks with Cleaver: Police

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A fight between two women over cigarettes earlier this week ended when one of them attacked the other with a cleaver, Ferndale police said, and now she’s being held in the Oakland County Jail on $15,000 bond.

Misty Harlan, 39, of Clarkston, was charged with felony assault during her arraignment Tuesday before 43rd District Court Magistrate J. Patrick Brennan.

Police said the alleged cleaver attack occurred Monday during a drinking party in the 2300 block of McDowell in Ferndale. Harlan allegedly asked for a cigarette from one of the women at the party, and when she was refused, a verbal dispute turned into a fist fight and then escalated.

“The suspect went into the kitchen and brought back a cleaver and swung it twice at the victim, slashing the back of the victim’s coat,” Ferndale Detective Brendan Moore told The Daily Tribune.

“Fortunately, the victim was not cut during the assault,” Moore said.

One of the men at the house managed to take the cleaver away from Harlan while someone else called authorities, police said.

Felony assault is punishable by up to four years in prison.

Harlan’s probable cause hearing is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 30.