Executive Summary
- John Velasquez-Hicks, 19, arraigned on charges of reckless driving causing death.
- The April 24 crash on South Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd killed a 15-year-old and injured 12.
- Police report high speeds led to a five-vehicle chain-reaction collision.
- A second defendant has been charged but not yet arraigned.
A 19-year-old motorist has been arraigned on felony charges in connection with a multi-vehicle collision in Lansing, Michigan, that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old and injuries to 12 other individuals last April. According to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office, John Velasquez-Hicks was formally charged Monday with reckless driving causing death and reckless driving causing serious impairment of a bodily function.
The charges stem from a severe crash that occurred on April 24 near the intersection of South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Mary Avenue. Prosecutors allege that Velasquez-Hicks was involved in a high-speed incident that triggered a chain reaction involving five vehicles. The Lansing Police Department reported that the sequence of events began around 8:30 p.m., when two vehicles traveling south at high speeds collided with a car attempting to turn near Pierce Road.
Investigating officers stated that the force of the initial impact pushed the vehicles into the northbound lanes, where they struck two additional cars. The collision was violent enough to eject two occupants from one of the speeding vehicles. The casualty list included a 15-year-old who sustained fatal injuries, while 12 others, ranging in age from 3 to 52, were hospitalized with conditions varying from minor to critical.
Velasquez-Hicks is currently represented by defense attorney Michael J. Nichols. Court records indicate that a probable cause conference is scheduled for January 22 at 9 a.m., followed by a preliminary examination on January 29 at 8:30 a.m., both presided over by Judge Kristen D. Simmons. Authorities have also noted that a second defendant has been charged in relation to the incident, though their identity is being withheld pending arraignment, which is expected during the week of January 20.
Procedural Legal Outlook
As the judicial process commences, the focus will shift to the upcoming evidentiary hearings which will determine if the prosecution has sufficient grounds to proceed to trial. The charging of a second individual suggests investigators are treating this as a complex liability case involving multiple actors contributing to the catastrophic loss of life and public safety risk on a major thoroughfare. It is important to note that John Velasquez-Hicks and the unnamed co-defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
