A Wayne County jury on May 15 found 41-year-old Amir Khalid guilty on multiple charges tied to a Detroit crash that killed two children and their grandmother. Prosecutors say the August 2025 collision claimed the lives of sisters Savannah Allen, 8, and Syiana Allen, 15, and left another child seriously injured. Khalid, a Canton resident, is scheduled for sentencing on June 8 in Wayne County’s Third Circuit Court.
Crash and charges
According to a press release from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Detroit police were called to Gratiot Avenue near August Street around 12:39 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2025, where officers found the victims' vehicle on the sidewalk in front of a gas station in the 12600 block of Gratiot. Prosecutors allege Khalid was driving northbound at a high rate of speed when his car struck the family’s vehicle as it turned onto August Street. He was initially charged with reckless driving and serious injury counts and was arraigned in 36th District Court with conditions that included a GPS tether and a curfew.
Verdict and what’s next
According to ClickOnDetroit, a jury on May 15 found Khalid guilty of three counts of reckless driving causing death and one count of drag racing, while acquitting him of second-degree murder charges. The outlet reports that each reckless-driving count carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, and that Khalid is set to appear for sentencing on June 8 before Third Circuit Court Judge Regina D. Thomas. Family members have pleaded for accountability since the crash, and the upcoming hearing will determine Khalid’s punishment.
Gratiot corridor safety concerns
The crash renewed long-standing worries about dangerous speeds along Gratiot Avenue; local coverage noted drivers have been clocked at more than 80 mph in a 35-mph zone, and residents have demanded enforcement and engineering fixes. WXYZ reported on the twin crashes that weekend and noted the city has secured about $12.5 million in grants for corridor safety improvements. Hoodline previously covered the initial fatal Gratiot crash charges in August 2025 and documented community calls for better protection on the corridor.
What the verdict means
Under the verdicts the jury returned, Khalid faces exposure to lengthy prison terms if a judge imposes significant time, although the actual sentence will be set at the June 8 hearing. Reckless-driving convictions and a drag-racing count carry penalties that can include years behind bars, and prosecutors say the case highlights the deadly consequences of high-speed driving on city streets. Defense and prosecution arguments presented at trial, along with the jury’s decision to acquit on murder charges, will likely figure into sentencing decisions before Judge Thomas.
