BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Nearly four months after a crash killed O'Brian Nelson in Bloomfield Township, a charge of reckless driving causing death was filed against the accused at-fault driver late Wednesday afternoon.
The crash happened on May 31 at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Quarton Road. Bloomfield Township police say a 34-year-old Troy man driving a black Jeep Cherokee ran a red light while heading westbound on Quarton Road, struck a Dodge Charger, and then T-boned Nelson's vehicle, killing him.
Watch Randy Wimbley's report in the video player below:
Nelson's family says they were kept in the dark as months passed without an arrest.
"The whole family is just broken and seemed like it's just taking forever to get the clarification of where we are in the case right now," Bryan Nelson, O'Brian's father, said.
I spoke with Nelson's family on what would have been his 31st birthday. They questioned why the case took so long.
"116 days. I've seen people getting arrested for just not wearing a seatbelt. I've seen people get arrested for just talking too much. 116 days later. I shouldn't be talking to you," Bryan said.
Police say investigators did not hand the case over to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office until Aug. 27. The delay was attributed to the time needed to obtain toxicology reports and retrieve and analyze data from the suspect's black box data recorder. Police also say the suspect was hospitalized until late July, and investigators could not subpoena his medical records until after he was discharged. It then took about a month for the prosecutor's office to make a charging decision.
Reckless driving causing death is a felony carrying up to 15 years in prison.
Nelson's family said the charges brought some measure of relief.
"His birthday right now — to see that happen right now, it would be some form of sigh of relief. Knowing that at least we can know that this person is not endangering anybody else's life," Bryan said.
Boyd White, the attorney representing the Nelson family, says civil legal action is already underway alongside the criminal case.
"We have already filed a complaint against the suspect driver and the owner of that vehicle, and right now we're in the process of having those complaints served. So either way, this individual will be held accountable. We're going to hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law," White said. "People who are making decisions to get behind the wheel of a 3,000-pound bullet, they should understand that when you do this, there are consequences to your actions."
The at-fault driver is expected to turn himself in to police and be arraigned before a judge on Sept. 30.
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