BAY CITY, MI -- Having lit up a cigarette in the back of a patrol car, a Bay County woman then tried to eat a prescription pill right out of an officer's hand before police found 10 more pills.

The evening of May 13, a Bay County sheriff's deputy responded to the Family Dollar store at 3851 N. Huron Road in Pinconning Township for a shoplifting complaint. Staff told him the suspect, 32-year-old Jackie L. Barnard, had been in the store and stolen medication and other items, but left about 6 p.m. She returned to the store at about 6:50 p.m., court records show.

The store manager told the deputy Barnard would knock over items then hide them in her clothing. The deputy waited for Barnard to come outside, which she eventually did at about 8:40 p.m.

The deputy approached Barnard as she tried leaving the scene with a bicycle.

"There were obvious bulges in her pants, sweatshirt sleeves, purse, and bra," the deputy wrote in his report, contained in court files. Barnard denied having stolen any merchandise.

The deputy took Barnard back inside the store and they met with the manager. They told Barnard to remove all items from her person, which she resisted. The deputy then handcuffed Barnard to search her.

"I removed numerous items from her sweatshirt pockets and sleeves," the deputy wrote. "Jackie had several items down the back of her pants ... which I removed. Those items included a compact, pack of cigarettes, and other beauty products."

Barnard was taken to a patrol car and secured in its back seat while the deputy continued investigating. When he checked on her, he found her smoking in the police car, apparently having had a cigarette and lighter hidden on her.

In all, 30 to 35 items totaling $257.85 were stolen, according to the report.

The deputy took Barnard to the Bay County Jail and searched her cigarette pack in the facility's vestibule. In it, he found a green pill and asked Barnard what it was.

"She leaned in for a closer look and attempted to eat it out of my hand," the deputy wrote. "Her mouth was wide open and (she) lunged forward with it."

Jail staff then found a white pill in Barnard's pants.

"Furthermore, while being searched, Jackie pulled a piece of cigarette out of her pants and ate it even after she was requested to spit it out," the deputy wrote.

A more in-depth search yielded 10 additional pills in her vaginal area, according to the report. Shortly after, Barnard became lethargic and passed out. She was taken by ambulance to McLaren Bay Region hospital for medical attention.

At the hospital, a recovered Barnard tried stealing medical supplies from emergency room closets, court records show.

In the following days, Barnard called the Family Dollar multiple times. She initially offered to pay back $5 a month if the charges were dropped, then threatened to sue the store because the bicycle she had pedaled there was now missing, court records show.

Court records indicate some of the pills found on Barnard were hydrocodone and alprazolam.

Authorities issued a warrant for Barnard on Aug. 4. She voluntarily appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment Monday, Sept. 12.

Barnard is charged with single counts of second-offense possessing less than 25 grams of a narcotic or cocaine, second-offense possessing controlled substance-analogues, and second-degree retail fraud. The first two offenses are eight- and four-year felonies, respectively, and the last one is a one-year misdemeanor.

Barnard is to appear for a preliminary examination before District Judge Mark E. Janer at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27.