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Teen to be charged as adult for fatal police chase crash
A 16-year-old Detroit boy accused of hitting and killing a man while fleeing police over the weekend will be treated as an adult in court. The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office announced this week that the boy would be charged as an adult despite his age for the deadly crime.
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 16-year-old from Detroit accused of killing a man during a police chase in Macomb County will be treated as an adult when he faces a judge Thursday.
The boy, who has not been named by authorities, will be arraigned on adult charges for the crash early Saturday that killed a man driving for Uber.
The backstory:
According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, Clinton Township police responded to an apartment complex early Saturday and saw a vehicle driving slowly with its lights off. Police tried to stop the vehicle, which was stolen, but the driver fled.
Roseville police said the stolen vehicle was spotted in the area of I-94 and Gratiot. Officers tried to pull over the car, leading to a chase that ended with a crash at 11 Mile and Van Dyke in Warren when the suspect ran a red light.
The other driver hit was 28-year-old Alex Habib, a father of two who was driving for Uber.
Habib, of Madison Heights, was taken to a hospital, where he died. The suspect was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries before being taken to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center.
What they're saying:
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido called this a "deeply troubling case" in a press release announcing the decision to issue adult charges to a minor.
"The decision to charge a juvenile as an adult is never made lightly. In this matter, we proceeded with careful and thorough consideration of how to best uphold fairness and justice. We are dealing with a serious allegation involving a minor whose actions are believed to have caused the death of an innocent man, a man who was simply driving to support his family," he said. "Actions have consequences, and while youth is a factor, it does not erase accountability. Our role is to seek justice, and in this case, that means proceeding with the full weight of the law."
Dig deeper:
Habib is being remembered as a loving father and a man who would lift the spirits of those around him.
"We've got a tight team. When you do restaurants the right way, they're families," said Tom Brady, the owner of Jim Brady's, where Habib worked. "He's just one of those guys, when he's in the building, he just brought everybody up a couple of clicks."
What's next:
The teen is expected to be arraigned at 10 a.m. Thursday in Clinton Township.
The Source: Press releases from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office and Clinton Township police were used to write this report.
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