An off-duty Detroit firefighter is now headed to trial in connection with a Roseville crash that killed an 85-year-old woman, after a judge decided there was enough evidence to move the case forward. The case against 26-year-old Travis Turner has been bound over to Macomb County Circuit Court following preliminary hearings held late last month and earlier this month. The April collision on Groesbeck Highway left one driver dead and two people injured.
What prosecutors say
According to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, Turner was arraigned on April 10 and faces two counts: Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death, a felony, and Weapons — Firearms — Possession Under the Influence, a misdemeanor. Judge Kathleen E. Tocco set bond at $100,000 cash or surety and ordered Turner to wear a GPS tether and an alcohol-monitoring device as conditions of release. Prosecutors said those are the maximum charges allowed based on the evidence presented so far.
How the crash unfolded
Prosecutors allege Turner was driving a 2016 Ford Fusion at a high rate of speed on the night of April 9 when he struck a 2006 Saturn Ion driven by Eleanor Johnson on Groesbeck Highway just south of Martin Road in Roseville. Johnson, 85, was pronounced dead at the scene. Turner suffered minor injuries, and his passenger, 23-year-old Alexandra Deif, was also hurt. The preliminary examinations on April 29 and May 8 resulted in a judge binding Turner over for trial, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Department response
The Detroit Fire Department told reporters the member was off duty at the time and has been placed on leave without pay while the investigation continues, per reporting from WXYZ. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said his office will "work to see that justice is achieved" after the crash. Local authorities continue to gather evidence from the scene along with testimony presented at the preliminary hearings.
Legal exposure
The OWI-causing-death charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison under Michigan law, according to court guidance on MCL 257.625 from the Michigan Courts. The statutory framework and model jury instructions emphasize that prosecutors must show that the defendant's operation of the vehicle caused the death. The separate firearms count is typically treated as a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail, according to legal guidance on Michigan law from Garmo & Kiste PLC. Being bound over means a judge found probable cause to send the case to circuit court; the burden of proof at trial remains with prosecutors.
What's next
Turner is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on the information in Macomb County Circuit Court on Tuesday, May 26, at 1:30 p.m., according to ClickOnDetroit. If the case proceeds, the circuit court is expected to set pretrial deadlines and potential trial dates in the weeks ahead.
Both the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office and Roseville police continue to handle the investigation. Turner remains free on bond with GPS and alcohol-monitoring conditions pending his circuit court arraignment.
