WALLED LAKE, Mich. – The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office amended criminal charges in the March 22 Walled Lake crash that left 13-year-old Piper Carrothers dead.
Carrothers’ parents felt Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald undercharged the teens the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office arrested that night.
The crash occurred in March on East-West Maple Road near Decker Road when a Jeep careened at 98 miles per hour and slammed into five different vehicles, leaving the 13-year-old dead.
The teenager behind the wheel had no business even being there as he had no license or learner’s permit. Due to the Carrothers family’s concerns that Local 4 brought to you Tuesday (May 23) night, there were new charges and a magistrate request for a judge.
And now, due to the Carrothers family’s concerns, we brought to you last night, there are new charges and a major request for a judge.
It all started as this Jeep gladiator ran a red light in front of a Walled Lake cop who gave chase. When the Jeep screamed away, the officer broke it off.
The Jeep kept going, running another red light and slammed into the Carrothers’ car and sending four other vehicles flying like pinballs.
Piper and her 10-year-old sister Cora rode home from ice dancing practice in the back seat of their mother’s Honda Fit.
The terrifying scene was streamed live on social media, and the two teens in the truck ran away from the injured and dead.
In the sad aftermath, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office charged 19-year-old Gavin Kassab of Commerce Township with one count of first-degree fleeing and eluding causing death and two counts of second-degree fleeing and eluding.
The alleged driver, now 16 years old from West Bloomfield similarly charged along with a count of failure to stop at the scene of a personal injury accident but charged as a juvenile which meant jail time was unlikely.
It was a devastating development for Bill and Erica Carrothers, who felt prosecutors undercharged, particularly the 16-year-old.
“I don’t think either of us wants to see him at 20, be clear of this,” said Bill.
“My daughter isn’t coming out of her urn in four or five years, she’s in there forever,” said Erica.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office amended those charges Wednesday, adding manslaughter and reckless driving causing death charges to both men and will also request the juvenile judge in the case to try the 16-year-old as an adult and sentence him as an adult.
We did speak with Bill and Erica about the decision Wednesday after they met with the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for a couple of hours this morning.
They weren’t willing to go on camera but said they were satisfied with the new charges.
