A teenage motorist received a manslaughter sentence on Friday following a fatal accident in Grosse Pointe Farms that occurred in November 2023. The tragic accident claimed the life of a teenage passenger in the vehicle.
Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the driver, who remains a juvenile. The individual was recognised during the sentencing phase; however, due to the nature of the blended sentence imposed, his identity will remain undisclosed.
Flynn in the spotlight Michael MacKrell, an 18-year-old from Grosse Pointe, made his way back home for the Thanksgiving holiday while enjoying his freshman year at the University of Dayton. According to his parents, he was collected by a friend, aged 16 at the time, who was behind the wheel of his mother’s white 2021 BMW X3. A surprise was in store for another friend in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Authorities reported that the pair spent approximately three minutes with their acquaintance before departing his residence shortly after 9 p.m.
Subsequently, the driver raced at over 100 mph, careening southwest along a stretch of Ridge Road designated for just 25 mph.
According to eyewitness accounts, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, collided with a utility pole, became airborne, and subsequently crashed into a tree at the intersection of Ridge and Moran roads.
The driver emerged from the wreckage, but MacKrell tragically lost his life at the site of the accident. First responders were called to the scene to extract him from the wreckage.
MacKrell’s family sought accountability from the driver’s mother, claiming her negligence contributed to her son’s reckless driving. However, the prosecutor’s office determined that her actions were not a factor in the accident.
On March 20, 2024, prosecutors in Wayne County revealed that they would be charging the driver with second-degree murder.
A second-degree murder charge has been designated as an adult case, allowing the judge the discretion to impose a sentence as a juvenile, as an adult, or as a juvenile with the possibility of an adult sentence if rehabilitation is deemed insufficient.
A trial is set to commence in February 2025, following the 17-year-old driver’s guilty plea to manslaughter with an adult designation. All remaining charges have been dropped.
On June 13, 2025, the judge ruled that the teenager would be sentenced as a juvenile, with the possibility of facing an adult sentence should he breach his probation terms.
A teenager has received a sentence ranging from 19 to 38 months at the Wayne County Detention Facility. He is currently on probation, and his sentence will only be enforced if he fails to adhere to the conditions set forth.
His probation involves a secure placement, indicating that he will not reside at home. He will be remaining in a secure environment similar to a residential treatment centre.
