(WWJ) An Oakland County woman accused in a New Year's Day crash that killed a Michigan State University student has fled the country.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday it is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to bring 57-year-old Tubtim "Sue" Howson back to Michigan from Thailand.
Howson faces both local and federal charges related to the Jan. 1, 2023, crash on Rochester Road that took the life of 22-year-old Benjamin Kable of Shelby Township.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has charged Howson with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, and a federal warrant signed this week charges Howson with interstate flight to avoid prosecution.
Investigators say Howson left Detroit two days after the crash and arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Jan. 3.
The FBI’s Detroit Field Office says Howson hit Kable in a white BMW as she was on her way to work in Birmingham, and then fled the scene. It's alleged she was encouraged by an associate to call police after the crash but she said, "no cops."
FBI agents are now working to locate Howson.
“I am proud of the work our team did to identify this individual and learn that she had fled the country right after the accident,” said Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “We immediately engaged our partners at the FBI to keep them in the loop as we sought warrants so that they in turn could seek federal warrants for flight.
“I call on the Thai government to extradite her so we can hold her accountable for her actions involving this young man’s tragic death."
In a statement, Special Agent in Charge James Tarasca said the FBI "will provide all necessary resources" to return Howson to Oakland County and "bring her to justice.”
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