AUBURN, Mich. (AP) - Authorities in Bay County filed charges against a 21-year-old man they say was drunk when he crashed his SUV into a house, killing a male resident and injuring his wife.
The crash happened early Sunday in Auburn, about 10 miles west of Bay City, and killed Vaughn Lietzke, 41. Sandra Lietzke, 42, was flown to a Saginaw hospital, which had no information on her condition Monday.
According to sheriff’s deputies, Hunter Motko failed to stop at a stop sign, and his vehicle ran over a curb, became airborne and struck a corner of the house. After the crash, he resisted deputies and was shocked with a stun gun, said sheriff’s Lt. James Chlebowski.
Motko was arraigned Monday on charges of drunken driving causing death and serious injury. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly set bail at $500,000.
“Obviously, he’s a 21-year-old young man, charged with what I think are some of the most serious charges that you possibly can,” The Bay City Times (https://bit.ly/1glUaOp ) quoted defense lawyer Matthew Reyes as saying. “One of the absolute tragic things that we have to deal with in this situation is that very innocent people are dead and seriously injured.”
Reyes said he has spoken with Motko and his family and “their greatest sympathies go out to (the victims’) family and all the relatives this family has.”
Motko has a 2011 conviction for impaired driving, which his lawyer said involved marijuana and not alcohol.
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Information from: The Bay City Times, https://www.mlive.com/bay-city
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