Man Accused Of Causing Crash That Killed Dearborn Woman: Worthy

DETROIT, MI — A Southgate man is facing two felonies in connection with a crash that killed a 48-year-old woman from Dearborn last week, the Wayne County Prosecutors Office announced Thursday.

Gerelle Nathaniel-Romeo Rhan, 19, was arraigned Thursday afternoon at a local hospital on one count of second-degree murder and a single count of reckless driving causing death, prosecutors said. Prosecutors accused Rhan of causing the crash that killed Christina Ward.

"The alleged actions of the defendant will drastically alter his life, but it will forever and profoundly affect the lives of Ms. Ward's family and friends," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said.

According to prosecutors, officers responded to a crash in the area of Merriman and Cherry Hill roads around 7:53 p.m. May 20. When officers arrived, they found two damaged vehicles in the southeast corner of the intersection, prosecutors said. Paramedics discovered found Ward dead inside her vehicle, prosecutors said. Rhan was found and transported to a local hospital for treatment, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Rhan was driving south on Merriman Road at a high rate of speed and in an aggressive manner when he disregarded a red stop light at the Middlebelt and Cherry Hill road intersection and struck the vehicle driven by Ward.

Rhan is scheduled for a probable cause conference June 4, with preliminary examination slated for June 11.