Michigan man accused of leading police on high-speed chase that killed woman pleads to murder charges
A Michigan man accused of stealing a Jeep from a dealership, leading police on a high-speed chase and killing a woman in a crash pleaded no contest to several charges.
Macomb County prosecutors allege that on April 29, 2021, Angelo Rickey Smith, who was 17 years old at the time, and other accomplices stole multiple vehicles from a Metro Detroit dealership.
Smith then allegedly led police on a chase on M-53 that reached speeds of more than 130 miles per hour and ran a red light at 15 Mile Road and Van Dyke, causing a collision with two other vehicles that killed 20-year-old Emmon Woods, prosecutors said.
On Thursday, Smith, 21, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, first-degree fleeing and eluding a police officer, breaking and entering a building with intent, and larceny in a building.
"This remains a deeply troubling issue," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido in a statement. "Here, a young man stole a vehicle and then made the decision to flee from the police, which resulted in the death of an innocent young woman whose life was just ahead of her. There must be consequences to stop this behavior before it ends up with these tragic results."
Lucido says he's calling for bipartisan legislation to address what he calls a "growing public safety threat of drivers who refuse to stop for law enforcement."
"Every time someone runs, they roll the dice with innocent lives. I want to end that gamble," Lucido said. "We need statutory enhancement of consequences, including mandatory prison time. The people of the state of Michigan deserve to be protected."
Smith will be sentenced on Sept. 4.
