Driver of vehicle that allegedly caused US-23 rollover crash that killed 2 children comes forward
This story has been updated to clarify the woman is not under arrest and is working with police through an attorney
The driver of the Honda Odyssey who allegedly caused a rollover crash and killed two children in June has begun working with police through an attorney, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Michigan State Police investigate a fatal accident June 22 on southbound US-23 near Michigan Avenue.
Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Dale Smith said the woman contacted police through an attorney, ending the two-and-a-half week search. Smith said the woman is not under arrest, not in custody and is working with police through an attorney. He said she is a person of interest in the case.
The trooper investigating the case was out on the road Wednesday morning and could not be reached by AnnArbor.com.
According to police, witnesses said the woman driving the Honda Odyssey moved into the lane occupied by the 1999 Ford Expedition driven by Dawn Siegel. Along with Siegel in the Expedition were six children — her four children and two step-children.
Ashley Siegel, 11, and Jordan Siegel, 14, were killed when the Expedition rolled several times and came to rest on its roof in the median of southbound US-23 south of Michigan Avenue. Both children died at the scene of the crash.
Ashley and Jordan were students at Royal Oak Middle School. Their funeral was on June 26.
After the crash, the woman driving the Odyssey continued to go southbound on US-23.
Police said in the days following the crash that it would be difficult to find her since no one who called the collision in to 911 actually followed the vehicle.
Smith said the woman had turned in the Odyssey.
The woman’s name is not being released at this time because she has not been formally arraigned on any charges.
This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
chris
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 1:47 a.m.
So what is the update with this woman now?
Ron Cordell
Sat, Jul 28, 2012 : 6:45 a.m.
Took her weeks to contact police, how come the police are taking so long to arrest her? If nothing else than for fleeing the scene of an accident, let alone her (if she did) causing two deaths and all those injury's! But my real reason for commenting.. Why hasn't there been some kind of update to this, at all? Except to say that she DIDN'T turn herself in, she used legal representation to CONTACT the authority's.. But has there been no action taken by police yet, in regards to an investigation, or have they just not shared the details of said investigation, if one is taking place?
MikeB
Mon, Jul 30, 2012 : 9:33 p.m.
I agree! Any news?
JRW
Fri, Jul 13, 2012 : 1:43 a.m.
This reminds me of the case of a "hit and run" resulting in death in Minneapolis recently. The woman driving the Mercedes SUV (Amy Sensor) struck an individual on the side of the road standing next to his car that was pulled off the road. She did not come forward initially, but drove off. She finally was forced to come forward by her family. In court she said she thought she hit a construction barrel. The jury did not believe her story and she was found guilty of two felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.
porchbear
Mon, Jul 16, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.
41 months is not nearly enough time in prison, in my opinion
Ricardo Queso
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 11:31 p.m.
The scofflaw must have quite a following given the number of deleted posts and negative comments.
annarbor28
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 10:59 p.m.
My last comment was deleted, because I asked about speed and rollovers and the left lane. So in a general sense, does anyone have an idea of how fast one has to be going in a large SUV to roll over like this when cut off? It is too bad that this cannot be used as a way to examine accidents. Is the left lane the travel lane or the passing lane on US-23? What is the frequency of rollovers at what speed when someone cuts in front of an SUV?
Basic Bob
Fri, Jul 13, 2012 : 2:41 a.m.
1. Too fast. 2. Great question. It's the passing lane, but during rush hour there are few chances to merge back into the right lane, especially near the entrances (where this crash happened). Most Michigan drivers ignore it anyway and camp out in the left lane impeding traffic. 3. Almost never. Usually they miss and the driver of the SUV simply yells and makes hand gestures.
djm12652
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.
She "turned" it in? Wonder if the delayed coming forward involved getting alleged repairs done to the alleged vehicle?
AlwaysLate
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
I'm a little confused, the article clearly says that the woman has not turned herself in…yet; the majority of the comments here keep saying that she has turned herself in. Which is it? Seems to me that she ran, hid and is now trying to weasel out of punishment by using a lawyer as a shield. (Just like that kid who ran down and killed that cyclist in Saline a couple of years ago.) Arrest the her…and her lawyer…and throw away the key.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 8:17 p.m.
Yes, lets arrest lawyers now, since they are doing their job by insuring that this person gets a fair trial, comrade. Maybe we could introduce gulag as vell. No trial, no judge, no jury... The secret police simply knock on your door, accuse you of a crime, and then lock u in prison. Good idea!!!
iambrokenow
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 4:32 p.m.
@Ross, it was in the initial reports on TV and A2.com, the Odyssey had "front end" damage, the driver knew she hit the SUV and likely watched those kids die thru her rear view mirror. Why else did she keep going for 2 1/2 weeks. Just because she had her Lawyer turn her in, I pray that doesn't mean she's getting just a hand slap. A hand slap won't bring back those two beautiful kids. The family needs solid resolve. God Bless them, Lord keep your hand on them, their nightmare isn't over yet.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 3:57 p.m.
From the evidence I've seen so far, if I'm on the jury, she walks. I have zero tolerance for charges being levied against an indavidual without facts to back it up. And when the charges are this serious, it's even more important that we insure that we are not sending an innocent indavidual to prison.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
My point exactly, Tesla... I haven't seen any evidence, nor have any of the people here who are calling for this persons head on a stick. And, I fear that some of the commenters here would use their misguided anger to convict someone that has commited no crime.
Tesla
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 4:33 p.m.
Maybe thats because you haven't seen or heard any "Evidence." I'm glad you're not a juror either since you don't know the difference between evidence and a news story.
ready
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 3 p.m.
I consider Eways death traps and avoid them if possible. You need to know all the back roads anyway when police close the Eway endlessly due to accidents. I saw a trouper sitting on Willis RD by Toyota and he did slow traffic. Thought to myself, why aren't you on thr Eway??? Stop and ticket all speeders and any other violation. This will raise revenue and can hire more law enforcement. YEA!
einy
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 6:14 p.m.
I agree with you and only take backroads unless I have to. It's usually the Sheriff timing on Willis... speed trap = easy money (speed limit is a ridiculous 45 mph)
A A Resident
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 11:56 a.m.
Isn't it a little extreme and premature for the article to describe this woman as having killed two children? She made a lane change mistake which we have all made at one time or another. The difference is that this particular one happened to have tragic consequences. And we've all had times when someone moved into our lane, and we handled it without catastrophically crashing our cars. Leaving the scene? We don't know yet whether she was aware that the other vehicle had crashed, or whether there was contact between the two vehicles. When I've been in a near-accident, I've tended to place renewed focus on what's ahead, and less on what's in the rear view mirror.
djm12652
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 6:43 p.m.
I have said many times before, there are no vehicle accidents...someone, allegedly the Honda driver, displayed negligent driving behavior and made an unsafe lane change. This alleged act of negligence is not an accident. Loss of control of a vehicle because someone made a "lane change mistake" can and does cause catastrophic consequences....and putting focus on what's ahead after an incident such as this can be just as dangerous...I check my mirrors...all of them on a stringent routine...left, right, and rearview about every 10 to 15 seconds, just like I was taught way back when. I have never made a lane change where it was not clear of traffic or without using my signal. I have had people cut in front of me causing an unsafe distance between my car and the car ahead of me...on the freeway as well as roadways.
Treehugger
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 5:31 a.m.
Working with the police through her attorney, nice.... call him when the higher power confronts you,..see what he can do. Most likley you haven't been able to sleep or eat, You never will...you do not deverve it.
aqilah
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 4:30 a.m.
June 22, 2012 there was an accident on US23 South involving a mother and her children. I have started a family fund at PNC BANKS to help the family with any financial issue they will have. " The Dawn Siegel Family Fund. People can go to any PNC Bank and donate to the family. Aqilah Chisolm 734-961-8412 I don't understand why she is not arrested for the deaths. leaving the scene of an accident, and not turning herself in to the police. We all know that she has know the tragedy she caused. Help me understand why she is not incarcerated. As she was driving down US 23 S, I know she seen the vehicle tumble and yet she kept going?
Are you serious?
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
Nobody here including me knows what happened. However, I wonder how many drivers have ever had to react to an emergency when traveling at high speed? Cars, SUV's, etc., do not behave as you might expect. It is extremely easy to overreact and swerve all over the road. If that happens when the vehicle is next to a curb (not the case here of course) or runs off the pavement into gravel or down a small incline it is almost impossible to control. Anyone who has been to a driving school is taught to make very small steering corrections when going at high speeds. Unfortunately most people cannot afford such instruction and are ill equipped to react in a safe manner to a suddenly unexpected event.
Ron Cordell
Sat, Jul 28, 2012 : 6:36 a.m.
And the report did say Dawn swerved from the left lane into the median, witch usually is loose dirt, grass, gravel and weeds.. Not exactly the best stuff to go onto at high speeds, especially not at an angle..
Old Salt
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 2:35 a.m.
Wht took her so long ` she apparently killed two young persons
Thaddeus
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 1:09 a.m.
According to Channel 4 NBC today it was hit-and-run. http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Police-Woman-comes-forward-after-crash-on-US-23-kills-young-siblings/-/1719418/15475860/-/c2vyrf/-/index.html?treets=det&tid=2656364503813&tml=det_12pm&tmi=det_12pm_1_10500207112012&ts=H
TruBlue
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 12:44 a.m.
Boy I hope many of the people here are never on my jury. I would be hung before the trial even began.
annarbor28
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 11:48 p.m.
My other comment is about driving on Michigan highways. I have been in the situation where it was unclear on 696 who cut off whom in the right lane, and when I was pretty far away, saw in my rear view mirror that a van was wobbly but did not roll over, no accident. I had no idea whether I had done anything, as I was concentrating on exiting onto another highway. I thought maybe I had something to do with the other car maybe trying to get into the same lane, but since there was no harm done, dropped it. What I am saying is that the traffic is so fast that often it is hard to tell. Now if there is physical evdence of contact on a car or the Honda in this case, then I can see that the accident could be figured out.
annarbor28
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 11:41 p.m.
I am trying to understand the speeds that an SUV has to be going to roll over multiple times. I have read about other similar accidents, and wonder with a large SUV, how much speed does there have to be to roll over so violently, if cut off, or if one overcorrects? So at 45, 55, 65, or 75 mph, what is the critical point? Am asking in case anyone out there has a better idea. As an SUV driver, I know there is a rollover risk, but have tried recetly to not push it with speed due to reading about these accidents.
Dhurandar Bhatavdekar
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:23 p.m.
Our country is obsessed with lawyers and attorneys and juries, and measures justice and closure in dollars - big mistake! When lions battle, only the vultures benefit. The only profession that benefits from this sorry state of affairs are the attorneys. Accidents happen! It does not make sense to make someone "pay" for an accident even if it was their "mistake". Retribution (particularly financial) only makes sense when a deliberate act that caused damage or hurt has been committed. Regarding this specific case, how do we know that the person in the car with 6 kids was not distracted by a phone, makeup, food, texting, or the kids themselves? Simply because there were fatalities does not mean someone else is to blame. It is possible that the overturned car itself had a bigger role to play and was too close or fast. What is even more likely is that this was an "accident". The day our legal system understands the true definition of this word will be a good day for the common citizen.
queenie
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:44 p.m.
I thought about this accident often as I drove 700 miles to visit my son last week, and my heart aches for Dawn Seidel and her family. But, I don't think it has been definitely alleged by the police that the Honda driver caused either the accident and the subsequent death of the children. Unfortunately, it may have just been an "accident" - Mom in Expedition swerves to avoid the Odyssey - either because it came into her lane too quickly or she was distracted - and loses control of her car. Incredibly sad but not necessarily criminal.
ownrdgd
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:35 p.m.
They need to lock her up and throw away the key, But with the judges we have in this county,melinda Morris and her cronies. All she'll get is a slap on the wrist Very sad but very true
jns131
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
Come on people, slow it down, lets not get rabid about this. Let the police deal with this and then see what happens.
TruBlue
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 12:46 a.m.
Were you there? Did you witness the accident? Please share with us your eye witness account so that we all may judge her so quickly as you.
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:05 p.m.
just may be that will be all she deserves.
Bob W
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:28 p.m.
I see lots of assumptions here. Why not just let it play out?
jns131
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:25 p.m.
Wow. News travels fast. I just saw it in my news alert inside email. Can't wait to hear the details and what this person looks like. Glad to hear this is resolved.
AySquared
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
I'm glad the woman finally turned herself in. At least we will know whether or not the crash was an accident. I find it incredible how some of these people commenting act like they already know whether it was or not. Wait until you get the facts!!!
jmac
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:20 p.m.
I was once clipped by a car on Washtenaw that somehow didn't see or care that I was already occupying the lane it swerved into. I was lucky enough NOT to lose control of my car or bounce into oncoming traffic (which could easily have happened as I was in a left turn lane at the time). Had one of my kids in the car at the time, too. At high speeds (like this accident on US 23) it could have been much worse. People, pay attention when you drive. Know your blind spot. Turn your head and LOOK before you change lanes. All basic driver's ed stuff but how soon we forget. And the consequences can be deadly.
RJA
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:06 p.m.
This is just so sad, the loss of two children. My thoughts and prayers to all involved.
DagnyJ
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:30 p.m.
Expeditions and other SUVs are quite dangerous in rollover accidents. This could have been an accident and I am glad the Honda driver came forward.
Tesla
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:29 p.m.
This is good news. However it ends now at least their will be some closure.
nvragain
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:22 p.m.
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2684625.shtml?cat=1 Very related story out of Saint Paul, MN. The judge in this case handed down 3.5 years in prison to the woman just yesterday.
nvragain
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:19 p.m.
Kevin Warren faces 15 years for being intoxicated and causing death. He returned to the scene with a conscience. He distinguished right from wrong almost immediately, whether he thought he hit a deer or something else. Both are very tragic stories involving the lives of many people, from the children and veteran who lost their lives, to the children who will possibly lose their mother or father to incarceration. Make better choices, people lives depend on it.
justcurious
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:38 p.m.
And Kevin Warren and his attorney have now pushed the date of a trial back 14 months! What has happened to swift justice? You also forgot to mention the cell phone in his case.
A2M
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:12 p.m.
Yes or No contact between vehicles?
BOBBY
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:47 p.m.
@jns131 Forensic Evidence? is there a dent or not, that's what they look for!
jns131
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
It is called Forensic Evidence. The police will use this to determine cause and if it was an accident. Time will only tell.
Ross
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 5:52 p.m.
Well we now have the vehicle in question (odyssey). So it should be pretty easy to tell (A2.com reporters, please ask the police, eh?)
Veracity
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 3:42 p.m.
If there was no contact between vehicles the woman driving the Odyssey may have not thought that she was involved in causing the accident, especially if she first observed the Ford Expedition rolling over in her rear-view mirror. If she remained ahead of the Ford Expedition and was not looking at her mirrors then she may have not been aware of the accident until TV, radio and news print informed her. She may not even have associated herself at first with the accident. Later she may have realized her possible connection with the accident and a strong conscience motivated her to report herself.
Ross
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 5:51 p.m.
Yes, this is a plausible situation (no sarcasm). Then you hit the news and see you are wanted for causing the death of multiple people. I would be scared and unsure what to do as well. And turning yourself into police with a lawyer is then probably the right thing to do.
einy
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
If the Odyssey driver was on her cell phone then she likely didn't even know it happened. Not that that's an excuse but maybe an explanation.
Andy Frazier
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 3 p.m.
Thank you, Kyle, for keeping your readers updated with this information. Being so close to home, this story ripped at the hearts of my family and many others.
Ron Granger
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 3 p.m.
Unfortunately, changing lanes and hitting someone is often just considered a minor traffic violation, even when death results. I could cite examples, but we've all seen them. And sometimes drivers flee the scene because they are intoxicated, or because they have a record of prior incidents. Our legal system often does not take "accidents" with heavy machinery as seriously as it should. Drivers have a duty of care to operate safely. "It was an accident" should not justify a $42 ticket for improper lane change, as sometimes happens.
johnnya2
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:12 p.m.
Ron, You are flat out WRONG on this. I was on a jury in a case where a truck swerved into the lane of traffic next to them. This caused a car to lose control and killed two senior citizens (by the way, sitting on a jury with the images of two people who had been decapitated and then hearing testimony from the medical examiner answering the question, what was the cause of death, and he said flatly decapitation). The driver of the truck was charged with vehicular manslaughter. The conviction did not require we find he did it on purpose, only that he left his lane and caused the accident. Accident reconstruction evidence is pretty amazing, and this was 20 years ago.
BOBBY
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
who says contact with the vehicles was even made? who says that she had even realized what she had done? its possible she cut off the victim and didn't even realize the accident had occurred , from maybe being distracted , who knows.. you don't though :-)
chelseami
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:45 p.m.
Finally!!!
KeepingItReal
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:23 p.m.
The one piece of information I would like to know is whether either of the drivers was on a cell phone the time of the accident. This information should be easy to obtain if either of the driver owns a cell. I have changed my driving habits if I am driving near who I observed to be on a cell phone while driving I try to get away from them ASAP. I've seen too many near accidents caused by people on their cell who think their conversation is more important than safety or life of others.
Brad
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 3:19 p.m.
Except in this case it was a Honda Odyssey which is like the polar opposite of an SUV. Also voted to be the vehicle most likely to be going 30% below the speed limit in the fast lane. A close second - any Buick.
DonBee
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 3:11 p.m.
Unfortunately this is getting to be all too common when driving. In Friday last week driving home (40 miles) I had 5 different situations when drivers of SUVs crossed partway into my lane (I was in the slow lane) as they went past me, forcing me onto the shoulder - in every case the driver was on a cell phone. I had a a sixth time where the driver was not on a cell phone but instead was tapping away at what looked to be an iPad attached to the steering wheel. I now keep an eye out for rapidly approaching SUVs in my rear view mirror and get ready to move over when they come - move over onto the shoulder - not into another lane. Keep your eyes open if you like to drive the at the speed limit around here - you may be run over by a driver who is in a hurry. Driving 75 on I-94 could be very hazardous to your health - since everyone seems to want to go faster.
Elijah Shalis
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:18 p.m.
Expeditions are known for being roll over friendly and top heavy.
Soft Paw
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:13 p.m.
Yes, based on this article I would be much more likely to buy Honda than a Ford. Safety is not a Big 3 priority.
PJ
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:24 p.m.
No but any wheel adjustment at speed makes it more likely to go out of control. Sadly I speak from experience on that one
Wolf's Bane
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
Exactly, so why leave the scene of the accident?
Robert Granville
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:42 p.m.
I've never heard of Expeditions flipping over when traveling straight down a highway undisturbed.
Wolf's Bane
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:18 p.m.
I applaud her coming forward, but the right thing to do would have been to pull over after the accident and call police. Accidents happen, but running away makes it worse.
BOBBY
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:44 p.m.
its possible she didn't even realize it until hearing about it on the news. what if it was a blind spot scenario and this lady was just distracted to see what had happened? things like this happen everyday.
ssannarbor
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:09 p.m.
There are some really oblivious drivers out there..Sad, but true. It is possible she may not have even realized she had caused a major accident.
mrshicks2000
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.
Thank you for the update! I've been wondering if they found her. I'm glad she did the right thing.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.
I've changed the headline and some of the wording in this story after speaking with Detective Sgt. Smith again. The woman has started discussions with police through an attorney. At this point, Smith said she's a person of interest in the case. She is not under arrest and she has no charges filed against her. When I spoke with him this morning, I had asked if she turned herself in and Smith told me she had. Hopefully this clarifies things a little bit.
Simone Cromer
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:53 p.m.
So her conscience has been eating away at her for over Two Weeks. Now, along with an attorney, she is talking to the police. About what, working out some sort of leniency? Two children died and she continued to drive away. In the end, I hope there is closure for the family to find peace and move on, and in the court of law, if the woman driver is guilty of anything, she will be dealt with appropriately.
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:58 p.m.
They said right at the beginning of this that they didn't know if there was contact or not. Innocent until proven guilty.
BOBBY
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:42 p.m.
but there is nothing saying that she was in fact the one in fault for causing the accident. yeah there are a few people that "Claimed" that is what they saw, but people ten to over exaggerate. that is why we have the Justice system, and court trials.
catmi
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:15 p.m.
I'm right there with you. There is no justifiable leniency for something like this case. I suspect she only came forward because someone in her family pushed her forward. A story like this, a family member drives home in a trashed car that matches the description... not hard to start asking your relative what the heck happened to the car?
Polyjuce123
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:47 p.m.
Just goes to show the caliber of person we are dealing with in this situation, wait 2 weeks, get a lawyer and hope for the best...disgusting. On the other hand, I cannot imagine prosecutors handing a light sentence regardless of her counsel and rightly so!
jns131
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:31 p.m.
But Ted Kennedy died with a horrible secret. At least this lady will not. Beginnings of a nice soap opera. Will she or won't she?
YpsiVeteran
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 6:15 p.m.
I can't imagine prosecutors handing ANY sentence. Prosecutors don't sentence people to anything. Judges do. And just because the papers are just now reporting that the Honda driver has come forward doesn't mean she/he just came forward. For all anyone knows, the police may have been speaking with her attorney for some time now.
ferdcom
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:59 p.m.
It's the Ted Kennedy method.
EMU Prof
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
Probably would have happened a lot sooner if the online mobs hadn't been baying for her blood.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:56 p.m.
I think most who have defended her for leaving operate under the assumed possibility that maybe maybe she wasn't aware of the accident. Assuming she didn't make contact with the other car and the other car swerved to avoid a perceived collision that didn't happen maybe she didn't stop because she didn't know. I think this is rather unlikely but not impossible.
SEC Fan
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:20 p.m.
I think less people would have been "out for blood" had she STOPPED at the scene instead of running away. I'm pretty confident know one at the scene of the accident was "out for blood", so why didn't she stop then? I find it absolutely amazing how some people here can actually defend her for leaving the scene of the accident.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:22 p.m.
"Finally, leave blood vendettas to places like Afghanistan. We are a society of laws.' Huh? Please don't confuse a spirited discussion on AnnArbor.com with Afghanistan.
catmi
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:20 p.m.
I may not have been online following all the comments, but I was outraged and sickened as a human being and when driving kept an eye out for a trashed car that matched the description so I could call the police and tell them where I saw it. Baying for blood? No. Sickened by another humans actions? You better believe it.
EMU Prof
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:10 p.m.
Actually Andy, I think about that all the time. I have thought about this accident every day since it happened, mainly because I drive near there, with my children, all the time. I cannot imagine what it would be like. But none of the people on here suffered personally because of this, and thus, by your reasoning, have not earned the right to call for vengeance. Finally, leave blood vendettas to places like Afghanistan. We are a society of laws.
Andy Frazier
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:58 p.m.
@EMU Prof - How would you have reacted if this happened to YOUR family? You'd be out for blood too.
a2citizen
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:33 p.m.
What makes you think she has even heard of annarbor.com?
JGS
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:53 p.m.
Exactly! Everyone is an expert these days because they have a computer and google. Self-proclaimed detectives with no credentials amuse me with their CSI-like theories. I meet people daily who tell me they can fly too, but when I ask them, they say, "Oh I just have flight simulator" :/
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:18 p.m.
Good for her. I don't know how this will turn out for her and it sounds like she may be facing a minimum of "leaving the scene", but she did do the right thing to turn herself in. Very gutsy move on her part. Hopefully this will help the Siegels get through this in some small way.
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:53 p.m.
They will have to prove she knowingly left the scene of an accident. It will be her word against theirs.She may not have known anything happened.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:09 p.m.
Lets hope the truth comes out whatever that is and justice is fairly meted out based on that truth.
OLDTIMER3
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:16 p.m.
Right on. Not meted out on speculation on what happened.
Ross
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:08 p.m.
Wait, did we ever resolve actual wrong doing on the part of the odyssey driver? The initial investigation and articles about this issue were very murky on the actual physical interaction of the two vehicles. Failure to yield in a merging situation is definitely a driving offense. But its also a grey zone, and the over-reaction of the SUV could really be the only issue here, right?
johnnya2
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:06 p.m.
PJ and all those making excuses for this woman, The fact that she was oblivious to an accident that caused a SUV to roll over behind her, says she failed to pay attention as is required by law. If you are driving on US23 and you do not bother to look in yoru rear view mirror on a regular basis, you need remedial driving instructions.
GoNavy
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:28 p.m.
@smokeblwr & Polyjuce123 - Has it actually been established as "a fact" (your words) that the driver "left the scene of an accident?" If the driver either made no contact with the SUV, or didn't feel contact, how would they know? Many people don't look at their rear-view mirrors for miles on end - how would not doing so make one guilty (or not) of a crime?
PJ
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:23 p.m.
Not sure if she left the scene of an accident. If the two vehicles did not make contact then she was not in the accident. Now could she have caused it, yes but not sure they can get her on leaving the scene. If she cut the driver off did she even realize an accident had happened? Much will come from the testimony of eye witnesses, did she creep over into the lane and the other car panicked and over corrected? Did she completly enter the lane, taking it over, giving the other driver no other option? Much investigation still needs to be done.
Ross
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 5:42 p.m.
Yes, thankfully Craig, you were wrong about that. We'll just have to wait for her side of the story though. It was a tragic event, in any case.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:18 p.m.
my early prediction that Ross would get slammed is clearly off base at this point.
seldon
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:59 p.m.
Leaving the scene of an injury accident is a crime, though. Assuming she was aware that she was involved in the accident.
Polyjuce123
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:52 p.m.
@smokeblwr Main point? Looking out your rear view mirror and watching a car full of people flip as you drive away without stopping. Guilty.
MRunner73
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:48 p.m.
That is why the Honda Odyssey driver's version of story will be key to resolving this investigation. Now that she has come forward, the investigation can proceed. Be patient because I am sure more news will be posted as it becomes available.
smokeblwr
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
At this point the only thing that can be proven she did wrong is leave the scene of an accident. How the accident happened will need to be uncovered by the experts.
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:16 p.m.
Judges and Juries resolve things. We just speculate endlessly.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:11 p.m.
good luck with this one. I tried to go down a similar road when the story originally broke. Be prepared for a landslide off thumbs down.
justcurious
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:08 p.m.
She did the right thing, albeit late. Nothing will bring back those children, but I wish all involved some peace someday.
jcj
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:17 p.m.
justcurious Yours seems to be one of the few appropriate comments.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:04 p.m.
While I don't agree with the driver not stopping at the scene I am glad that she has turned herself in now, even after two and a half weeks. After not stopping to begin with she was probably in contact with a lawyer for several days now. Very sad all around.
djacks24
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:18 p.m.
I'm no legal expert, but I doubt any legitimate legal council is going to have her delay turning herself in over several days so they can get their story straight or whatever. I'd assume the lawyer insisted she turn herself in before they go any further.
Jeff Renner
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:03 p.m.
You need to update the photo caption. It says that the accident was "Friday afternoon." Also, I suggest replacing "that" in the first sentence with "who" since it wasn't the Honda that allegedly caused the accident but the driver. Good news regardless!
Middle America
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 4:56 a.m.
Who needs proper grammar? This is America™! Hyuck, hyuck, Fox News.
Diane
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:25 p.m.
YOU should get a job @ the News, then everything would/should be PERFECT!
Jojo B
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:31 p.m.
If there was a copy editor in the house, we wouldn't have this argument on EVERY SINGLE news article.
belboz
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:41 p.m.
@StopCrying - exactly. @Robert - I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt with the old their - there confusion, and that you are trying to sarcastically show your ability to see the forest for the trees.
Robert Granville
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:32 p.m.
He stated why the wording should be changed and he's right. Their is fault here and it's not with the vehicle.
StopCrying
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:53 p.m.
Sorry corrington, arguing over which word to use in an article relating to the death of two children seems trivial to me. If he care more about the proper word use than trying to sound smart he would have emailed Kyle privately and expressed his serious concerns. #Ego
Corrington
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:48 p.m.
Yes, how annoying of Jeff to insist news stories be accurate. Thanks Jeff and Kyle.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:34 p.m.
Jeff - Thanks for pointing that out, I've made those changes.
eone
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:30 p.m.
you have way to much time on your hands
belboz
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.
How annoying.
MRunner73
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 12:58 p.m.
Hopefully, the investigation can now be resolved. Closure can come to the family of the deceased.
actionjackson
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
I don't imagine that she has had one nights sleep since this horrific ordeal. The Siegel family probably hasn't either. The Siegel family can finally see the judge and jury serve justice in this matter.
djm12652
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 6:26 p.m.
@JGS...there really are no reasons to call this an "accident" there is negligence on the part of the vehicle that entered into a different lane without first making sure it was safe to do so. That is not an accident....just because a negligent driver doesn't intend to cause harm, does not make the incident an accident...you said "what if she didn't see the person?" When driving a vehicle, any lane changes cannot be made until safe to do so...but around here all you have to do is put your signal on and get over...without checking first...at 70 miles an hour...and this tragic collison that killed two young people is the end result...like I said...accidents don't happen when vehicles are involved...there is always a traceable negligent act involved.
johnnya2
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 9:02 p.m.
@JGS, Actually it does not matter if it were an accident or not. IF she ran them off the road, she could be charged with 2 counts of negligent homicide. I had the "pleasure" of serving on a jury for a very similar case (though the driver in my case did not leave the scene). This was 20 years ago, and the accident recreation people from the Mich State police had a pretty good idea of exactly what happened and the driver that was involved was convicted. I have no idea what his sentence was, but it was a guilty within about 3 hours of deliberations.
jns131
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 7:35 p.m.
From all these comments? There is one thing to mention. No one will sleep well depending on the outcome of whether or not this was an accident or not. There was one trial that came out in favor of the person responsible. Not enough evidence to support it. I wish everyone a sane way to overcome this nightmare.
actionjackson
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 5:20 p.m.
JGS justice by definition: Justice is a concept involving the fair and moral treatment of all persons, especially in law. It is often seen as the continued effort to do what is "right." I have by no means determined innocent or guilt. I will continue in seeking what is "right".
JGS
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
Really? So you've all read the police report, talked to the detectives, etc? That's what I thought. Speculation runs deep here. I'm not on either side, but I am tired of the CSI detectives speculating with at best a poor hypothesis of every situation that happens. Leaving the scene of a crime? Sure thing, if you realize that you did something. Use the FOIA to pull the police report, consult detectives and do your homework. Then get back with me Hollywood Crime Fighters.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 4:36 p.m.
The facts are still out on this one. Did her car strike the other car? Hard to say but if her lawyers allowed her to turn the car into police, I have to wonder. Considering people's attitudes and quickness to convict this woman, it makes perfect sense to me that she would wait until she could retain an attorney before coming forward.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:30 p.m.
Boom, whether or not she saw the other vehicle, or intended to harm anyone, or intentionally pulled in front of the other vehicle is totally irrelevant. In Michigan leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving death is a felony, regardless of if it was an accident or not.
SEC Fan
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:08 p.m.
@JGS. Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. She's guilty of at least that.
BOOM_ROASTED!
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.
So, Simone, you think that that this woman saw the Explorer full of children and thought, "I don't give a *bleep*," and ran them off the road? I would say that probably wasn't the case. Just because she didn't turn herself in right away doesn't mean it wasn't an accident. Could it have been prevented? Sure! Did she do it on purpose? More than likely not. Sounds like an accident to me...
Simone Cromer
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:54 p.m.
JGS, "accidents" don't take 2 1/2 weeks for the other party to finally identify themselves to the police, along with an attorney.
JGS
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:50 p.m.
What if it was an "accident" ? What if she didn't see the person? Accidents happen sometimes. Everyone wants swift justice all the time. However, none of us (including me) have the evidence and information to make a determination either way. Seems like it's Guilty until proven innocent these days with all you house-kept citizens.
joe.blow
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 12:36 p.m.
Guilt sucks.... Too bad death sucks worse.
joe.blow
Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
Hmm, more makes sense, but I don't think worse is wrong. Is worse wrong?
GoNavy
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
It's entirely possible that this woman not only failed to make any sort of contact with the driver of the SUV (as this all remains "alleged"), but had absolutely no idea that anything had happened until she put two and two together based on news reports or prompting via word-of-mouth. So ya, I'm going to go ahead and hold off on making any sort of determination regarding guilt, innocence, etc. until I, like every other reader, becomes more accurately availed of the facts.
BOBBY
Wed, Jul 11, 2012 : 1:50 p.m.
Too bad death sucks more****