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Grosse Pointe Farms man sentenced in fatal crash case
An 18-year-old who was a teenager at the time he recklessly drove a vehicle with his friend inside before crashing, killing the passenger, was sentenced Friday.
GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A man who was 16 when he caused a fatal crash in Grosse Pointe Farms that killed his friend was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to manslaughter with a motor vehicle.
Kiernan Tague was given a blended sentence for the deadly crash and was sent to a Level two placement facility. Depending on his progress in the facility, he could see his time in detention reduced.
The backstory:
Authorities said Tague, who was 16 at the time, was driving more than 100 mph in a 25 mph zone on Nov. 17, 2023 when he hit a pole, flipped his car, and slammed into a tree. The crash killed his passenger, 18-year-old Flynn Mackrell.
Tague was first charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was reduced to manslaughter with a motor vehicle. He pleaded guilty to that charge earlier this year. He was charged with adult designation, meaning that the judge had the option to sentence him as a juvenile, as an adult, or create a blended sentence for Tague, who is now 18.
After the crash, Mackrell's mother, Anne Vanker, asserted that Tague's mother monitored her son's speed with an app and knew about his reckless driving. She pushed for Tague's mother to be charged, but no charges were ever filed.
Kiernan Tague at his sentencing on June 13, 2025
What they're saying:
At Tague's sentencing, Mackrell's mother, father, sister, and brother all spoke about the impact the loss has had on them.
"There is a part of me that died alongside my brother Flynn Mackrell," his sister said when addressing the court. "His death has shattered me into pieces, a mosaic of pain and fear that will always be broken."
Mackrell's brother described learning that his brother had died, noting that someone he had spent his whole life with was taken away from him too soon.
"The agony of his loss deserves justice," Mackrell's mother said.
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Mackrell's father said a light has gone out since his son's death.
"Everything is dim," he said during his victim impact statement.
The victim's family members asked the judge to give Tague an adult sentence.
The other side:
Before sentencing, Tague's lawyer discussed how juveniles do not have fully developed brains, arguing that this is why a teen should not receive an adult sentence.
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She also said that she believes her client has taken steps toward rehabilitation.
"He is well-deserving of what the juvenile system is meant to provide," she said.
Tague also spoke at his sentencing. At times he became choked up as he talked about missing who he described as his best friend.
"My heart is profoundly heavy with grief, regret and remorse," Tague said. "What pains me most is that I know that any pain that I've experienced is nothing compared to what Flynn's loved once, especially his parents, sister, brother, and family have experienced.
The Source: FOX 2 attended the sentencing hearing. Previous FOX 2 reporting was also used.
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