Police Request Manslaughter Charges In Fatal I-75 Accident
MONROE COUNTY (WWJ) - Michigan State Police are requesting manslaughter charges in a fatal accident on I-75 that involved a wrong way driver who had a half-full keg of beer in his truck.
Police say 17-year old Jazzmine Pringle was headed back home to Detroit from Cedar Point, in Sandusky, Oh., when the car she was driving was hit by a pickup truck traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-75 near Ready Road around 12:20 Sunday morning. Pringle was killed on impact. Her 17-year old friend, Tori Toliva, was taken to South Shore Hospital with minor injuries.
Investigators believe the 31-year old Lenawee County man driving the truck was drunk.
According to police, the truck had a half-full keg inside and several beer cans and liquor bottles were found around the overturned pickup. The suspect was also taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Just before the crash, Toliva said they drove around a fatal crash on northbound I-75 near Sigler Road. She said the girls said a prayer, hoping the occupants of the overturned vehicle were okay. A mile and a half later their vehicle was hit head on.
The crash is still under investigation with additional charges pending. The Monroe County Prosecutor's office will ultimately determine the charges.
