A Lapeer County police officer, Amanda Szymanski, 45, has been charged with lying to police investigators regarding a 2023 car crash involving her son and an Amazon delivery driver. CBS News Detroit reports that Szymanski, who serves on the Almont police force, was off duty when she allegedly told authorities that she was in the car with her son at the time of the accident. Her son, who was only 15 at the time of the crash and had fled the scene, is being charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in serious impairment or death.
On July 2, 2023, the accident occurred in Dryden Township when an Amazon driver failed to yield to the teenager's GMC Acadia, leading to a collision that left the Amazon driver with life-threatening injuries. According to The Detroit News, a resident provided aid to the injured Amazon driver before medical personnel arrived on the scene. Szymanski arrived later and purportedly misled investigators regarding her presence during the incident.
The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office is handling the case to prevent a conflict of interest, and has arraigned Szymanski on providing false information to a police officer, a two-year misdemeanor. Her son, now 16, faces a five-year felony charge. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Police officers are held to a higher standard and allegedly lying to protect a loved one in a serious car crash only complicates the criminal justice process and leads to more harm. Our community relies on honesty and cooperation to ensure that justice is served fairly and swiftly," as reported by WWJ Newsradio.
Szymanski was granted a $5,000 personal bond and is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on July 19. Details regarding her son's legal representation or the specifics of his charges have not been released. Both the nature of the crash and accusations against the officer have sparked concerns within the community about the integrity of those sworn to uphold the law.
