Grosse Pointe Mom Won't Face Charges In Son's Crash That Killed Teen

GROSSE POINTE, MI — The mom of a 16-year-old boy who caused a crash that left another teen dead in November 2023 will not face charges because there is not enough evidence, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

Flynn Mackrell, 18, of Grosse Pointe, was killed after a speeding BMW X3 crashed into a light pole in the area of Ridge and Moran roads around 9 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2023, according to police.

Officers found Mackrell dead while belted into the car's passenger seat, and 16-year-old Kiernan Tague belted in the driver's seat, according to police.

Tague was injured in the crash and taken to a nearby hospital, where the teen recovered from his injuries, according to police.

Police said Tague was driving over 100 miles per hour in a 25-mph residential area before losing control of the car and leaving the roadway, striking a utility pole and a tree.

Tague was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the crash. The teen was not charged as an adult, but was "adult designated," meaning a judge has the option of sentencing the teen as a juvenile or an adult, if he's convicted on the charge.

He was released from jail on bail and is scheduled to go on trial in early February. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Mackrell's mother, Anne Vanker, asked prosecutors to charge Tague's mother in connection with the crash after investigators found text messages of her warning her son to slow down.

"I have screenshots of you doing 90 mph in the middle of the night when I didn’t even know you," the text messages showed. "And again two weeks ago going 123 mph just because."

Vanker agued the text messages showed Tague's mother never took reasonable actions to prevent her child from driving, though she knew how reckless he had been driving.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy disagreed, saying there is "insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any crime has been committed by the respondent’s mother."

"Most parents do everything they can to mentor their children and steer them in the right direction," Worthy said. "She [Tague's mother] took consistent, active steps to try to make sure that he stayed on the right path."

Furthermore, Worthy also said Tague's mother was not directly or indirectly involved in the crash.

"Despite his mother’s attempts, it is our firm position that the respondent and the respondent only is directly responsible for the crimes that we have adult designated and charged him with," Worthy said.