WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – The wife of 34-year-old Nick Newman is preparing for her first Thanksgiving without her husband by her side. Newman was killed by a drunk driver on his way home from work on Sept. 21, police said.
“Completely miserable. Devastating,” his wife said. “It’s unreal. It still feels like a dream. I just thought there was no way it could be true.”
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. near the intersection of Vernier Road and Harper Avenue in Harper Woods. Police said David William Gaval III, 36, of St. Clair Shores, ran a red light and struck two cars. Newman was driving one of the cars that were struck.
Read: Driver accused of being drunk during Harper Woods crash that killed 1, hurt 2, police say
Gaval has been charged with second-degree murder, operating while intoxicated causing death, reckless driving causing death, operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function and operating while intoxicated, officials said.
“I try to have faith in the judicial system and the justice system and things like that. It’s frustrating to know that if there was this history in his past,” the victim’s wife said. “My husband was a man who loved the things he loved, especially life, and never held back. He went for it all the way. He played all the golf he could.”
His wife is hoping the good memories will help her overcome the harder times on the way.
“This will be my first holiday without Nick. He actually passed away the day before my birthday,” she said.
If convicted, Gaval faces up to life in prison. He is being held on a $200,000 bond, cash/surety.
A preliminary examination is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 8 in 32-A District Court.
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