Thai Woman Charged In Deadly Oakland Twp. Crash Back In U.S.: Sheriff

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP, MI — An Oakland Township woman police accused of fleeing to Thailand after fatally striking a 22-year-old in Oakland Township has returned to the U.S., according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Tubtim Howson, 57, was charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury or death. She also faces a federal charge related to her flying out of the country. A conviction on either charge carries up to five years in prison.

Officials said Howson voluntarily returned to the U.S. and was arrested in connection to the deadly crash whence landed earlier this week. She is expected to be extradited back to Michigan.

Officials did not say where she was being held, but promised to release details on her return to Michigan when they become available.

"We appreciate the assistance of the authorities in Thailand and are working closely with our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to return this defendant to Michigan so that she can be held accountable for her actions," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

Officials said Howson fatally struck 22-year-old Benjamin Kable in the southbound lane of Rochester Road near Whims Lane at 5:49 a.m. on New Year's Day. Police do not know if Kable was standing or walking in the roadway.

Howson, who is also a citizen of Thailand, then told a close associate that she was going back to Thailand because she thought she killed somebody, officials said in a court filing.

Federal officials believe Howson landed in Thailand on Jan. 5 after tracking flight connections she made with a one-way-ticket out of Detroit to Thailand.

After learning of the situation, Thai deputy national police chief Surachate Hakparn then said preparations were being made to fly Howson back to the U.S.

Howson said she initially thought she had hit a deer, but when asked later why she fled to Thailand, responded that when she saw Kable’s body, she thought he must be dead.

"I left home for work around 5.30 a.m. to 6 a.m. It is the winter time and it was very dark. There was usually nobody walking on the road there, except deer," Howson said. "I did not think I would run away, but I was very shocked. I tried to call the police but my hands were shaking. I could not do anything."

Kable, originally from Shelby Township and a Rochester High School graduate, was a senior at Michigan State University working on an electrical engineering degree and home for the holidays when the crash happened, according to an obituary notice.