James and Jennifer Crumbley back in court, Patrick Lyoya autopsy results, high schooler charged in carjacking

TUESDAY NEWS HIT - It didn't take long for customers and airline companies to react to a federal judge's order that lifted the government's restrictions on masks Monday. In fact, it didn't take more than a few minutes for some. 

"I’ve been going up and down this coast, south Florida to New York for about 35 years… my company announced at this moment if you choose to you may remove your mask," a staff member aboard a JetBlue Airway flight Monday, according to video obtained by Storyful. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended their mask mandate in public transit and commercial flight settings until May 3. But on April 18, a federal judge from Florida shot down the order, saying the CDC had overstepped its boundaries. 

It was the latest example of the country scaling back its pandemic-era restrictions for the purpose of public health. 

In Detroit, the feeling from many of the travelers mimicked that of flights midday Monday - excitement and relief.

"I think it's great, I think it's gone on way too long, I think it's beyond excessive," said one woman.

"Very glad. Get back to normal," another man said

"We do still have other variants in other countries. I still think we should be safer than sorry," said a third individual, who still wore her mask.

While the CDC's order doesn't stand, it is still recommending that passengers wear masks on public transportation. 

COVID-19, the virus that prompted the wave of restrictions that continue to be lifted today, has fallen off the map in many states. Both case rates and hospitalizations remain well below the levels that previous surges caused. 

But what the future holds in Michigan and elsewhere remains to be seen. Cases were last reported to be ticking back up in Michigan. The presence of variants and offshoots from more harmful strains is still a threat to public health, as is the waning immunity from vaccine shots and boosters.  

James and Jennifer Crumbley back in court

James and Jennifer Crumbley will be back in court Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing regarding a request for lower bond after their attorneys submitted a filing last week. 

Both have been locked up on $500,000 bond each since Dec. 4 and have been through several rounds of court hearings, both procedural as well as sessions that revealed more details about the duo's actions in the months and days leading up to Ethan Crumbley's alleged terrorism. We will stream the pre-trial hearing live at 10 a.m.

The parents of the accused Oxford High School shooter are both charged with involuntary manslaughter following the deaths of four high school students killed in a rampage last year. The latest media reports first published last week show each defendant is seeking a lower bond of $100,000 each. 

In late March, the Crumbleys were appointed separate independent lawyers on March 22, in addition to the duel representation by attorneys from the same firm. It was their first appearance since they were ordered to stand trial on the charges and were bound over. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews made the move to appoint more legal counsel over concerns that were a mistrial declared from conflicting interests from either party, it could lead to an extended waiting period for the Crumbleys due to a backlog of cases.

Man protests Woodhaven police with 'White crime pays' signs

"White crime pays", "Black lives don’t matter" and a "White privilege forever" sign sat outside the Woodhaven Police Department Sunday alongside a partially burned Confederate flag, in a strange display that upset many. It was a jarring sight that drew a lot of concern — a Facebook post about it was shared a thousand times.

Bradley Peterson, who is Black and Native American said his protest against the Woodhaven Police Department stems from an arrest in 2017. "I was kicked out of the court for calling the judge an a-hole twice. Which I did," he said. "The police officer approached me and asked me for ID, I stuck my hand in my pocket to give him ID that he asked for, and he threw me to the ground and arrested me."

Peterson was charged with assaulting a police officer. The charge was dropped and later reinstated - after Peterson filed a $200 million lawsuit against Woodhaven PD and 33rd District Court, saying he was assaulted by police, wrongfully arrested, and maliciously prosecuted.

The police chief says that's inaccurate and Peterson's statements don't reflect the values of the department. "I think that his message is falling short," Police Chief Robert Toth said. "I think he is offending more people than he is gaining support from." 

Patrick Lyoya autopsy results expected Tuesday

The results of an independent autopsy performed on Patrick Lyoya will be shared Tuesday morning. Lyoya, 26, was shot and killed by a Grand Rapids police officer April 4. He was pulled over on Griggs near Nelson just after 8:10 a.m. because the license plate on his car didn't belong to the vehicle, police said. 

Police released four different angles of footage from the shooting – video from a body cam, a surveillance camera, a patrol vehicle camera, and a cell phone. During the encounter with the police officer who has not been named since he hasn't been charged, Lyoya ran around his car and into a yard. The officer chased him, and a struggle ensued. 

In the videos, the officer can be heard telling Lyoya to let go of his Taser. Eventually, the officer got Lyoya on the ground. While on Lyoya's back, the officer shot him in the head. Grand Rapids officials said they released shooting video to be transparent. The shooting is under investigation by Michigan State Police.

Lyoya's death has led to protests, calls for justice, and questions about how the officer could have handled the situation differently. Lyoya's family's attorneys, Ben Crump and Ven Johnson, will present autopsy findings from Dr. Werner Spitz during a 10:30 a.m. press conference. This includes Lyoya's cause of death, his physical state before he was killed, and information about his life expectancy.

High school senior among charged in Warren carjacking

A high school senior is accused of shooting a woman multiple times during a carjacking Friday morning at a Warren gas station. Joanna Withrow stopped for gas at a Sunoco on Eight Mile between Ryan and Mound roads around 4 a.m. when a vehicle pulled up behind her. Javon Oliver, 18, is accused of getting out of that vehicle and shooting Withrow three times during the random carjacking.

"He gave no opportunity whatsoever for the victim to comply with any demands, no opportunity to turn over keys or to turn over her vehicle -- he just started shooting," said an assistant prosecutor during Oliver's arraignment.

As Withrow was on the ground, Oliver allegedly stole her phone and keys then drove off in her car. Withrow, a mother of four children, has already undergone surgery for her injuries. She is in critical condition after she was shot in the leg and stomach. Facial recognition and cell phone pings were used to track Oliver and two accomplices to a home off Shockton near Seven Mile and Hayes in Detroit, where they were arrested.

Oliver, who is a student at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in Detroit, is charged with assault with intent to murder, carjacking, armed robbery, and weapons offenses. He was given a $1 million cash bond Monday. Shakira Hayes, 27, and Michael McCall, 20, were also charged in connection with the crime.  Hayes, the alleged getaway driver, was given a $500,000 bond, while McCall, who was with Oliver at the time and allegedly owns the gun used, was given a $750,000 bond. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Withrow.

What else we're watching

1. Michigan says it has doubled its recycling rate over the past three years. After bottoming out at a rate of 14.9% and the lowest among the Great Lakes states, Michigan has rebounded on the efforts of what the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy calls renewed efforts like more robust curbside pickup. 
2. It's National park Week and to celebrate the occasion, its director plans to announce a new partnership between the state of Michigan and NPS to improve sustainability and increase access to national parks in Michigan.
3. In a very brief press release, Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler, says it is suspending all manufacturing operations in Kaluga, a city in Russia "to ensure full compliance with all cross sanctions and to protect its employees." War between Russia and Ukraine has ramped up after a major offensive was announced Monday. 
4. John James and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel are hosing a townhall listed as a "Biden Gas Tax Hike" Tuesday. They're using it as a volunteer recruiting opportunity. James is running for Congress in Michigan's new 10th District. 
5. Slippery road conditions may make travel a bit treacherous for commuters Tuesday morning. Drivers should be wary of going too fast on the highway, especially near M-59 and I-75 in Oakland County.  

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

It's not going to be warm, but it will be warmer Tuesday - enough to melt the snow that fell across Southeast Michigan Monday. Plan for mid-40s and breezy conditions as Michigan starts to climb out of its slumping spring. 

Hand-implanted microchip could be used for contactless payments

A tech company is rolling out a microchip that can be implanted in people’s hands with the goal of making contactless payments easier.

London-based Walletmor said the chip will work with the Purewrist app, a digital wallet. After downloading the app, users will go to a specialist to have a chip installed in their hands that would act in conjunction with the app and businesses that use the app.

Once users are completely set up with the microchip and app, they can make payments using the funds in their accounts.

The company said the implant process is safe. The skin incision for the implant is very small and is usually 7 millimeters long, and the procedure takes about four minutes. 

The implant itself costs $299, according to the company’s website. 

News App