Latest news with #52-1DistrictCourt
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Unlikely excuse of Michigan man, 21, arrested for shooting 23 year-old fiancée dead
A Michigan man, 21, offered a dubious excuse for allegedly shooting his 23-year-old fiancée to death, according to police who arrested him. Before being taken into custody last week, Michael Devon Webb claimed on a 911 call that while he was cleaning his gun, he accidentally shot Rachel Renee Wooten, the mother of their six-month-old child. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said in a release that 'the evidence did not support' Webb's explanation. The April 15 shooting took place at the young family's home in Highland Township, a small suburb about 45 miles northwest of Detroit. Wooten was found dead inside the home with a single gunshot wound to the neck from close range. Webb, also in the house when police arrived, had a non-fatal gunshot wound, which he claimed was from the same bullet that killed Wooten, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. The baby was also found in the home but was unharmed. Webb has been charged with first-degree murder in what the county prosecutor described as a 'domestic violence death.' 'Rachel Wooten was just 23 and a mother of an infant,' Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said in a statement. 'Her entire life was ahead of her, until it was ended in what appears to be a domestic violence tragedy. She won't be there for her child or other loved ones in her life. I'm committed to bringing her killer to justice.' Sheriff Michael Bouchard described Webb's excuses as a 'false offered narrative' and praised his detectives. 'I am proud of our investigators and team that responded to a tragic death and unraveled a false offered narrative to hold an individual accountable,' Bouchard said. Webb was booked into the Oakland County Jail before being arraigned Friday before Magistrate Judge Andra Richardson in 52-1 District Court in Novi, Michigan. Judge Richardson remanded him to custody without bond and is scheduled to appear in court again for a probable cause hearing on April 30. If convicted, Webb faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Heather Wooten, the younger sister of Rachel Wooten, organized a GoFundMe to help get custody of Aspen, Rachel's baby. 'My sister was murdered by her fiancé on April 15th, 2025,' Heather wrote. 'Just 6 months after she welcomed sweet baby Aspen into this world, her life was taken from her.' Heather described Rachel as 'the best sissy in the entire world, my rock, and my best friend.' 'I am currently fighting for custody of sweet baby Aspen, who is currently in custody of the incarcerated father's mother. My sister wanted me to take care of Aspen if anything happened to her and I would appreciate any help through this process,' Heather continued. As of late Wednesday morning, the GoFundMe has raised just over $3,400 toward the $5,000 goal. A member of the Wooten family declined to speak to
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Milford driver, 94, charged with misdemeanor in death of Novi woman killed in crash
NOVI — The 94-year-old driver who police say ran over and killed a Novi woman in October has been charged with a misdemeanor. Phyllis Stafford of Milford was charged with a moving violation causing death, which is punishable by up to one year in jail, after investigators said she rear-ended and then fatally struck Sarah Thexton, 59, who had exited her vehicle after the crash in Wixom. Stafford was arraigned in 52-4 District Court in Troy on Feb. 12, said Jeff Wattrick, public information officer for the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Stafford entered a plea of not guilty. The case was moved to Troy after 52-1 District Court officials in Novi recused themselves. Stafford has been employed by the 52-1 District Court in Novi as a clerk for more than 50 years, Oakland County PIO Bill Mullan said on Thursday. Attorney Spencer Bondy said he is representing Stafford and was reviewing her case. "Ms. Stafford is currently charged with misdemeanor Moving Violation Causing Death, not murder or manslaughter," Bondy wrote in an email on Thursday. "She has been cooperating with authorities throughout their investigation and will continue to cooperate as this case progresses. Ms. Stafford has never been in trouble before and has an exemplary record. She is devastated by this incident, it is significantly tragic for everyone involved." Chris Thexton, who was married to Sarah Thexton for 24 years, has been grieving his wife's death and waiting for answers for more than four months. He said the charge against Stafford should be vehicular homicide, or reckless driving causing death, a felony punishable by up to 15 years, not the misdemeanor charge she is facing. "This is a miscarriage of justice. Or at least the absence of it," said Thexton, who filed a civil suit against Stafford on Feb. 12 in Oakland County Circuit Court. "I am disgusted... What I know is that Sarah was killed and she was killed brutally and unnecessarily. It changed my life and things will never be the same. There is a void in my life and my family's life that will never be healed, caused by a 94-year-old woman who should never have been on the road." More: Novi man wants Michigan to adopt elderly driving laws after wife killed in crash Wattrick said McDonald's office has spoken with Thexton and is aware of his concerns. Thexton confirmed someone on McDonald's staff reached out to him before issuing the misdemeanor charge. "She offered an explanation for this that I did not understand,' he said in a text. He said because he didn't understand the explanation, he asked that it be sent to him by email. He hasn't heard from McDonald's office since. Police say Stafford was driving a 2010 Nissan Versa on South Wixom Road near Sam's Way on Oct. 3 when she rear-ended a 2024 Honda CR-V driven by Sarah Thexton, who was stopped in traffic. When Thexton stepped out of her vehicle to inspect the damage, police said Stafford, still in her Versa, accelerated, running over Thexton and pushing the Thexton's SUV into a nearby truck. Sarah Thexton was transported to the hospital where she died, leaving behind her husband and daughter. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald did not respond to multiple requests to speak about the decision to charge Stafford with a misdemeanor. Instead, Wattrick issued a statement by email on behalf of McDonald's office: "The death of Sarah Jane Thexton was a tragedy," he wrote. "The charging decision in this case was not made lightly. Based upon the investigation conducted by the Oakland County Sheriff's Crash Reconstruction Unit, Moving Violation Causing Death (a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail) was the only appropriate charge against Phyllis Stafford according to current Michigan law." On her 90th birthday in March of 2020, Stafford was honored by Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter with a proclamation recognizing that she had worked for the 52-1 District Court in Novi for half of her life, starting in 1975. Although she retired from her full-time position in 1993, Stafford still works part-time at the courthouse and has served in every division, including probation, civil, criminal and traffic. Oakland County Public Information Officer Bill Mullan said Stafford remains employed by the 52-1 District Court as of Thursday. Stafford also retains an active driver's license, Wattrick said. Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@ This article originally appeared on Milford driver, 94, faces misdemeanor in crash that killed Novi woman
