(FOX 2) - Charges have been issued for a 17-year-old driver and four other passengers who were riding in a silver pickup truck when it fled Warren police on June 18 before running a red light and slamming into a 48-year-old motorist, killing him.
The five suspects, ranging from 17 to 11 years old, are accused of committing more than a dozen vehicle thefts and attempted vehicle thefts in the city and elsewhere.
The violent crash that killed the innocent Detroit driver happened at the intersection of 8 Mile and Schoenherr early in the morning after Warren police launched a pursuit.
The suspects fled police after officers attempted a traffic stop. They were wearing ski masks during the pursuit, according to the department's public information officer.
"This is a profound tragedy that no officer ever wants to see," said Eric Hawkins. "The gravity of this loss is felt deeply by every single one of us and we share in your grief."
"But I want to be clear about the nature of this incident. We are here today because a 17 year old murdered Mr. Washington. We are here because of a deliberate, calculated chain of choices made by that individual that 17 year old chose to drive recklessly in our city," Hawkins said.
The backstory:
A pickup truck full of juveniles wearing ski masks was traveling through neighborhoods in Warren when police on a routine patrol attempted to a traffic stop.
Officers observed the occupants of the Dodge Ram wearing ski masks in the area of Fairfield and Georgiana Streets and tried to pull them over. Instead, the suspects drove away.
After fleeing police, they ignored a red light at the intersection of 8 Mile and Schoenherr when they struck an uninvolved vehicle traveling westbound.
All five of the occupants in the offending vehicle fled on foot. Police apprehended four of the individuals.
The driver of the uninvolved vehicle was taken to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased. They have been identified as a 48-year-old Detroit resident.
The Source: Warren Police, and previous reporting was cited for this story.