A Michigan sheriff overseeing the investigation into a fatal hit-and-run accident says he is “absolutely” concerned that the woman accused in the incident will try to avoid extradition by going to a country without an extradition treaty with the United States. States after she fled to Thailand to avoid prosecution.
Ben Kable, a Michigan State University student, died Jan. 1 after he was fatally struck by a 2016 BMW 320i driven by Tubtim “Sue” Howson in Oakland Township, Mich., around 5:49 a.m., according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Kable was “in the driveway” when he was struck by the BMW, but it’s unclear if he was “standing or walking in the driveway when he was struck,” according to court documents, which indicate Kable was visiting his home during the vacation. At the time. An accident report obtained by Fox News Digital shows that Kable was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, but was not a “contributing factor” in the incident.
Howson stopped the BMW for a short period of time before driving off, authorities said. On January 3, just two days after the incident that left Kable dead, Howson boarded a plane with stops in Dallas and Helsinki, Finland, arriving in Bangkok, Thailand, as her final destination, according to travel records reviewed. by the FBI.
MICHIGAN WOMAN CHARGED IN NEW YEAR DEATH OF COLLEGE STUDENT SEEKS EXTRADITION AFTER FLEEING TO THAILAND
Michigan State University student Ben Kable. (Family of Ben Kable)
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a Facebook statement that his office is working with its partners at the FBI to extradite Howson to the United States.
Bouchard told Fox News Digital that she is concerned that Howson may attempt to travel to a country that does not have an extradition treaty.
“Absolutely,” Bouchard said when asked if he was concerned that Howson might try to flee to a country without an extradition treaty with the United States. “Any time you have someone that far across the country, any extradition is not a piece of cake… If she tries to make some of those other moves, it’s going to be a lot more difficult.”
A felony warrant has been issued for Howson’s alleged failure to stop at the scene of a crime that resulted in serious impairment or death, and the FBI says there is probable cause to charge Howson with felony flight. interstate to avoid prosecution.
“I guess our greatest hope and prayers are that the Thai government will step up and put this person through the extradition process. She is a US citizen and it would be very helpful for them to do that kind of thing, exert the necessary resources.” They are to move that process forward.”
Ben Kable, a Michigan State University student, was killed on January 1 when a car driven by Tubtim Howson fatally struck him in Oakland County, Michigan, according to FOX 2. (Family of Ben Kable)
Bouchard said Howson had already fled the country before authorities knew who he was. Given the opportunity, the sheriff also said that he would be happy to accompany Howson back to the United States.
“If Thailand agrees, I would be more than happy to get on a plane with one of our federal partners and escort her back to Oakland County, Michigan,” Bouchard said.
Asked if he had a message for Howson, Bouchard said: “Surrender yourself.”
MICHIGAN WOMAN CHARGED IN NEW YEAR’S DEATH OF COLLEGE STUDENT FLEEES TO THAILAND: FBI
Diagram of the accident, according to an accident report from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office)
“Go back. Go to the American embassy in Thailand. Do the right thing. You know, things got worse because you fled the country. You know, additional charges were applied because you didn’t stop at the scene. I mean, it’s hard to say entirely what Charges would have been imposed if the right thing had been done. And there is still an opportunity to do the right thing,” Bouchard said.
The sheriff also said Howson’s family has been “very supportive” of law enforcement efforts to bring her back to the states and are trying to encourage her to “do the right thing.”
Thailand has an extradition treaty with the United States, but some neighboring countries do not.
File- Tubtim Howson in front of a car. (FOX 2)
An unsealed FBI complaint states that Howson “allegedly told a close associate after the accident that he thought he had killed someone and was going back to Thailand.”
“When encouraged to turn himself in to police, Howson allegedly said, ‘no cops, no cops,'” an FBI official wrote in the complaint.
Ben Kable’s father, Mike, said in an interview with FOX 2 Detroit that he doesn’t understand how Howson can live with herself after allegedly fleeing the scene.
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Ben Kable on a boat. (Family of Ben Kable)
“Just the lack of empathy and humanity that it would take and then plotting your escape… All we can do is cross our fingers that we get some justice,” Mike Kable said.
Howson’s husband told FOX 2 that “Two families have lost someone here.”
“It’s not my fault, I wasn’t even in the country,” he said.
