Grosse Pointe Teen Sentenced In Deadly High-Speed Crash That Killed Passenger

GROSSE POINTE, MI — A Grosse Pointe teen was sentenced Friday for a deadly crash that happened in November 2023.

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 in Grosse Pointe Farms at 9 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2023, according to police.

Officers found Mackrell dead while belted into the car's passenger seat, and the teen, who was then 16 years old, belted in the driver's seat, according to police.

The teen was sentenced to 19 to 38 months at the Wayne County Detention Facility. But since the judge gave him a blended sentence, he will only serve the time if he violates the terms of his probation.

The teen will have to serve probation until a judge believes he is properly rehabilitated, or until he turns 21. He will likely serve the probation at a residential treatment center.

Officials did not identify the teen since he was given a blended sentence.

The teen pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a motor vehicle, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He was initially charged with second-degree murder in connection with the crash, a charge that could have landed him in jail for life.

Mackrell's mother spoke to reporters after the sentencing, which she called "deeply disappointing" and a "travesty of justice."

"The only thing that could've made our lives worse is what happened here today," Anne Vanker, Flynn's mother, said after the teen's sentencing. "It's an insult to my son's life."

Police said the teen was reaching "speeds that rival speeding on our Michigan freeways" in a 25-mph residential area before losing control of the car and leaving the roadway, striking a utility pole and a tree.

In December, Mackrell's mother wanted the teen's mother charged in connection with the crash, but prosecutors declined, saying there is "insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any crime has been committed by the respondent’s mother."

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