New Report: James Craig Ran Away From Attempted Carjacking, But Now Trying to Cover It Up

In most cases, a carjacker unknowingly selecting the chief of police as his target would be extraordinary bad luck for the carjacker — in most cases. However, when a potential carjacker tried to go after James Craig when he was Detroit Police Chief in 2013, the likely thief got off scot-free when Craig fled the scene and didn’t report any follow-up information on the incident.

That’s the story James Craig told in 2013 at a community meeting, leading to widespread scrutiny. Now, as a GOP candidate for governor, he’s completely changing his story for the first time in years — and only after being asked by the Detroit Free Press.

Here’s what Craig said in 2013: “As soon as I saw the suspect running to my car, I accelerated out of harm’s way.”

Here’s what Craig told the Free Press yesterday: “I wasn’t looking to drive away and get to safety…as my training would dictate, I made an evasive move — an evasive tactic if you will.”

“James Craig has made “lead from the front” the central theme of his campaign, but this new report details how he fled when it was time to do his job, and now he’s trying to cover it up,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director Sam Newton. “Craig needs to stop dodging and explain to Michiganders why he fled and why he’s trying to run from his record of weak leadership now.”