BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Robert Isho, 34, was arraigned Wednesday on a felony charge of reckless driving causing death in connection with a May 31 crash that killed O'Brian Nelson on Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Township.
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Isho faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. His next scheduled court dates are October 13 for a Probable Cause Conference and October 20 for a Preliminary Exam.
For the first time, Nelson's family sat in the same courtroom as the man police say was behind the wheel in the fatal crash.
"It's just a lot of emotion, just trying to contain ourselves. A lot of our other family members just could not walk in with us, you know, it's, it's so hard, it's so real. We've never experienced anything like this," Bryan Nelson said.
Bloomfield Township police say Isho was driving a Jeep Cherokee westbound on Quarton Road when he ran a red light at Woodward Avenue. He struck a Dodge Charger before T-boning Nelson's vehicle. The driver of the Charger survived the crash.
Roughly 117 days passed between Nelson's death and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office reaching a charging decision. Police say one reason the investigation took months is that Isho was hospitalized until late July, and investigators could not subpoena his medical records until after he was discharged.
Isho's attorney, Neal Rockind, called the crash tragic.
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"Whenever there's a loss of life, I have to pause and acknowledge the deceased, which I've done and which we've done with the decedent's family. No family wants to be in this situation, but like all who are charged with the crime, Robert is presumed innocent," Rockind said.
"He's entitled to and eager for his day in court. At that time, when we're in court, we'll be ready and prepared to defend against the allegations and the charges. There's another side of the story, one that has not been told. It will be told in the courtroom, not outside, and not in the media," Rockind said.
During the arraignment, Rockind urged the court to issue a personal bond citing similar cases. He said that some courts use a "big stick" when it comes to determining bonds to demonstrate their authority. Magistrate Andra Richardson pushed back.
"I'm not that person. But I do take cases where somebody died very very serious. That's not a big stick," Richardson said.
Magistrate Andra Richardson issued a $25,000 10-percent bond, which Isho posted. One condition of the bond prohibits Isho from getting behind the wheel.
Nelson's family told me they had a brief exchange with Isho's mother outside the courtroom.
"What she said, she is really broken about what her son did. She admitted that to me personally," Bryan Nelson said.
Isho's mother's acknowledgment offered little comfort to Nelson's stepmother.
"I just think it was just too late for them to say something, you know? Mother to mother, brother to brother, family to family," Andrea Nelson said.
Despite the pain, the family said they are relieved the legal process is moving forward.
"It's just wanting, coming closer to justice, you know, and that's what we've been stressing on a long time now. Justice, and we'll forever be advocating for that," Bryan Nelson said.
"We are here, we're trembling, we're just trying to keep it together. It's just a hard pill to swallow," Bryan Nelson said.
Nelson's family has already filed a civil lawsuit against Isho.
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