A Michigan man has been found guilty in connection to a crash that claimed the lives of two women earlier this year in Shelby Township. According to CBS News Detroit, Jose Medina-Hernandez, 33, was convicted of two counts of moving violation causing death, misdemeanors that each could lead to a one-year sentence.
The accident happened on June 6, when Medina-Hernandez, driving a box truck in a Macomb County construction zone, failed to notably slow down and struck the rear of a Buick Verano. The initial collision set off a chain reaction involving two additional vehicles. The tragic event led to the deaths of Nancy Richmond, 88, and Crystal Brunn, 63, who were both in the Buick at the time. ClickOnDetroit reports that this caused a closure of the M-53’s southbound lanes for about five hours.
In the aftermath of the verdict, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido was quoted saying, "Thank you to the Macomb County jury who delivered justice for the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic and preventable crash," as per CBS News Detroit. He acknowledged the ongoing grief and healing process of the bereaved families.
The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant Prosecutors Mark Stepek and Christopher Urban, as mentioned in a release cited by WWJ Newsradio. While the verdict has been passed, the date for Medina-Hernandez's sentencing has not been set to be publicly released as of yet. The article emphasized the preventable nature of the crash, echoing the sentiments shared by Lucido in his statement.
