Woman charged for fatal hit-and-run crash in Pontiac

A Pontiac girl with a historical past of drunken driving and different crimes is going through a felony cost for a deadly crash final month that led to the loss of life of a motorcyclist and severe accidents to his passenger.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Workplace stated Leeann Jean Darling, 36, is accused of ignoring a site visitors sign on the Woodward Avenue – Perry Road intersection, the place the GMC Terrain she was using in was then struck by a 2009 Harley Davidson bike shortly earlier than 10:30 p.m. on September 1. The motorcyclist, Jack Leverne Turnblom, 49, from Fenton, was transported to an area hospital and died that evening. Turnblom’s 44-year-old passenger was hospitalized for accidents and has since recovered.

The sheriff’s workplace stated Darling ran away. Neither Turnblom nor his passenger have been carrying helmets when the collision occurred.

Investigators with the sheriff’s Crash Reconstruction Unit recognized Darling as an individual of curiosity within the crash, and she or he turned herself in on Oct. 1, officers stated. On October 4, she was arraigned within the fiftieth District Courtroom on three expenses:

• Failure to cease on the scene of an accident whereas at fault, leading to loss of life – a 15-year offense

• Working a motorized vehicle whereas license suspended, denied or revoked leading to loss of life – a 15-year felony

• Working whereas license suspended, denied or revoked inflicting severe harm – a five-year felony

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard described Darling’s alleged actions in reference to the crash as “baffling.”

“The inhumanity of hitting a fellow human being and strolling away to depart him to die is staggering,” Bouchard stated. “The suspect on this case has had a couple of alternative to alter his irresponsible and harmful habits however has failed to take action. The horrible penalties of that call have to be one thing for which he’s held accountable.”

Darling is being held within the Oakland County Jail on $750,000 bond.

On the time of her give up, Darling had an excellent felony warrant for probation violation out of Macomb County for Working Whereas Intoxicated – Third Offense, the sheriff’s workplace stated. In 2022, she was convicted of drunken driving and different expenses in Oakland County, and sentenced to 37 days in jail and two years of probation.

Darling’s subsequent look within the fiftieth District Courtroom is scheduled for Oct. 14.