James Burke, a former Warren police officer, is set to stand trial for his role in a fatal crash that resulted in the deaths of two men. According to ClickOnDetroit, Burke faces two felony counts of vehicular homicide-manslaughter and additional misdemeanor charges following the September 30, 2024, incident where his patrol car collided with a Dodge Durango at high speeds, killing Cedric Hayden Jr. and DeJuan Pettis.
During the preliminary examination, it was established that Burke's vehicle reached speeds exceeding 115 mph, and this fact, along with the absence of activated emergency lights and sirens, was the focal point for the prosecution. Meanwhile, Burke's defense attempted to shift the blame to the victims by questioning the legality of their turn, despite dashcam footage that contradicted this account, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. As per ClickOnDetroit, the father of one of the victims, Calvin Hayden Sr., described the repeated viewing of the crash footage as "devastating" and "torture."
The tragedy has also led to a substantial lawsuit against the Warren Police Department, with damages sought amounting to $100 million. The suit follows the termination of Burke from the department as of December 2024, after which, the aftermath of the crash showed significant damage to Burke's police cruiser and the Durango, noted by FOX 2 Detroit.
Embedded within this narrative is the assertion by Burke's defense attorney that Hayden Jr. was allegedly intoxicated and responsible for the crash. This accusation came despite evidence provided of Burke's excessive speed with no visible lights or sirens in use. Judge John Chmura, upon reviewing the evidence of Burke's speed, charged the former officer based on findings consistent with gross negligence, as noted by WWJ legal analyst Charlie Langton in an Audacy report. If convicted on the manslaughter charges, Burke could face up to 15 years in prison.
