A high-speed chase involving a 16-year-old boy and the Sterling Heights Police Department ended in the death of a pregnant woman on Saturday night, August 12.
The teen’s Chevrolet Equinox SUV plowed into a vehicle carrying a family in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights at around 9:30 pm, according to reports.
The deceased, 31-year-old Faith Gumma, was transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Her 34-year-old husband, Norman Gumma, remains hospitalized in critical condition, while their two-year-old son, Elijah, received medical treatment and has since been released.
The 36-second police pursuit of the teenager began after officers observed him driving straight with his blinker on for approximately a mile. When officers attempted to pull him over due to suspected lack of car insurance—a misdemeanor in Michigan—the teen allegedly sped through a red light at 90 miles per hour. He collided with the Gumma family’s vehicle as they were entering the intersection.
The teen, a resident of Detroit, escaped injury and was taken into custody shortly after the crash. He is currently detained at the Macomb County youth home and faces several felony charges in connection with the incident. Prosecutors are deliberating whether the teenager should be tried as an adult.
The Sterling Heights Police Department is actively investigating both the crash and the events leading up to it.
