Executive Summary
- Torrance Irby, 26, was arraigned on charges of OWI causing death and fleeing the scene of a fatal accident.
- The December 29 crash on Metropolitan Parkway resulted in the death of 27-year-old El Verson Mitchell.
- Irby’s bond was set at $250,000 cash, with a probable cause conference scheduled for January 12.
- Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido condemned the alleged impaired driving as a “preventable act.”
A 26-year-old Detroit man has been arraigned on multiple felony charges, including operating while intoxicated causing death, following a fatal collision in Clinton Township on December 29, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities report that the incident occurred on Metropolitan Parkway, just east of Groesbeck Highway. Torrance Irby was allegedly operating a Ram ProMaster when his vehicle struck a Ford Mustang driven by 27-year-old El Verson Mitchell of Ann Arbor. The force of the impact reportedly pushed the Mustang into the rear of a Ford Transit Connect van.
According to a press release from Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido, Irby allegedly fled the scene on foot following the crash but was apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter. Mitchell was transported to McLaren Macomb Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
On January 1, Irby appeared at the 41B District Court where he was formally charged with operating while intoxicated causing death, a 15-year felony, and failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in serious impairment or death, a 5-year felony. The court set his bond at $250,000 cash.
Prosecutor Lucido issued a statement regarding the charges, emphasizing the public safety implications. “Driving while impaired is an entirely preventable act that endangers everyone on the road. In this case, it is alleged that the defendant chose to operate a vehicle while intoxicated and caused a collision that took the life of a young man,” Lucido stated.
Judicial Proceedings and Legal Standards
As the case proceeds to a probable cause conference scheduled for January 12, the judicial focus will likely center on the forensic evidence regarding the alleged intoxication and the reconstruction of the crash scene. The charges filed represent serious felonies under Michigan law, reflecting the state’s strict penalties for vehicular fatalities involving impairment or flight. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
