Nearly three years after a police chase ended in a deadly Jackson County crash, Cayden Powers has entered a no-contest plea in the case that claimed the life of 15-year-old Jordan Jarrell.
Powers, now 18, pleaded no contest to one count of reckless driving causing death, according to MLive. He was 15 when prosecutors charged him as an adult with second-degree murder after the April 28, 2023, crash.
Chase Began After Reports Of Orbeez Gun Shootings
Jackson County sheriff’s deputies reportedly tried to stop a Jeep Wrangler after Powers and four other teenagers were accused of shooting at vehicles with an Orbeez gun, a toy that fires small gel balls. Deputies activated their lights and siren, but the Jeep accelerated, turned onto Roberts Street and later rolled over near Roberts and East Ganson streets, as detailed by WILX.
Police said the Jeep continued east on East Ganson Street after landing upright, then crashed again in the Jackson District Library parking lot near East Michigan Avenue and Dettman Road. Two 15-year-old boys were ejected, and Jarrell was later pronounced dead at a hospital; Powers and another teen were taken for treatment, with one transferred to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.
Sentencing Set For September In Jackson County
The second-degree murder charge is expected to be dismissed when Powers is sentenced, according to MLive. Jackson County Circuit Judge Susan Jordan scheduled sentencing for September 30.
Michigan’s reckless-driving-causing-death statute makes the offense a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, or both, according to the Michigan Legislature. The final sentence will determine how the criminal case moves forward after the plea.
Federal Lawsuit Keeps Pursuit Dispute Alive
The criminal case is not the only legal battle tied to the chase. A federal lawsuit filed in 2025 by Powers and Jarrell’s estate alleges that deputies were negligent during the pursuit and violated constitutional protections involving search and seizure, as reported by the Kansas City Star.
That civil case remains ongoing, and its allegations have not been resolved by a court. The September sentencing will address Powers’ criminal liability, while the lawsuit presents a separate dispute over the deputies’ conduct during the pursuit.
