Shelby Township Teen Faces Additional Charge In Triple Fatal Stony Creek Crash
WASHINGTON TWP. (WWJ) - A teen injured in a car crash at Stony Creek Metropark that killed three of his friends could face jail time now that another charge has been filed against him in the case.
Washington Township Attorney Colleen O'Connor-Worden has charged Gregory Bobchick Jr. of Shelby Township with one count of allowing an intoxicated person to drive a vehicle — which carries a penalty of up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The charge was filed Thursday in in 42-I District Court in Romeo.
Worden told WWJ's Sandra McNeill there is plenty of evidence that shows Jr. let Jonathon Manolious drive his Jaguar — at Manolious' request.
"There were text messages and all sorts of different social media indications that he'd asked him over and over to drive the car, to operate the car," Worden said.
Witnesses said Manolious, of Sterling Heights, was driving the wrong way before the May 8 rollover crash into the creek that killed Manolious, Emanuel Malaj, also of Sterling Heights and Michael Wells, of Macomb Township.
Bobchick and Joseph Narra, of Shelby Township, were injured.
Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said autopsies and medical records show all five boys had some amount of alcohol in their blood: 0.08 percent for Manolios, 0.07 for Wells, 0.02 for Malaj, 0.02 for Bobchick and 0.03 for Narra.
Wickersham said one of the teens had used a fake ID to by a 12-pack of Corona beer, a pint of Crown Royal whiskey and a pint of rum that were found in the vehicle.
Narra and Bobchick have been charged with misdemeanor minor in possession. All of the boys were 17 years old at the time.
O'Connor-Worden said that, although there is a lot of emotion in the community surrounding this tragedy, that didn't factor into her decision to charge the teen.
"I'm treating this case like I would treat any other case," O'Connor-Worden said. "I look at the evidence presented to me and I make a decision based upon the facts that I see. I have no pressure whatsoever; or the township hasn't, you know, indicated to me that they want me to go after this kid or anything."
O'Connor-Worden said there are numerous witnesses who said they saw Manolious driving "very dangerously and very recklessly" prior to the crash — both elsewhere and at the park.
While an attorney for Bobchick argues that the teen has survivor's guilt, a head injury and has already suffered enough as a result of his actions, O'Connor-Worden believes that's irrelevant.
"The bottom line is I have to look at whether or not I believe there's a crime that's been involved, and I do," she said.
WWJ is awaiting a call back from Bobchick's lawyer.