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89-year-old woman dies after man fleeing Ferndale police crashes into car

Harris Howard facing charges

Harris Howard (WDIV)

ROYAL OAK TOWNSHIP, Mich. – An 89-year-old woman died Monday morning after a man fleeing Ferndale police crashed into a car she was in on Friday.

Mary Lackamp was pronounced dead at 10:39 a.m.

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Police said Harris Howard, 26, was speeding on 8 Mile Road near West End when an officer saw him. The officer said he paced the vehicle and determined it was traveling 70 mph in a 40 mph zone.

When the officer tried to pull Howard officer, he initially put on his flashers and appeared to be pulling over before he fled the scene, police said.

There was a short pursuit that lasted about a minute, police said, before Howard crashed into another car near 8 Mile Road and Wyoming Avenue in Royal Oak Township. He tried to flee on foot, but was caught by a Michigan State Police trooper.

Police said three elderly occupants in the car that Howard hit, including Lackamp, were injured. One of those people is still hospitalized, police said.

A 26-year-old woman who was a passenger in Howard’s vehicle was also seriously injured.

Howard is charged with second-degree fleeing and eluding. His bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety. He is due back in court March 2.

Police said the woman’s death will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office, so more charges may be added.