Tubtim 'Sue' Howson: Crash fugitive who fled US after MSU student hit-and-run case held on $1M bond
OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN: A woman who fatally struck a college student and fled the United States is held on a $1 million bond. Following the hit-and-run incident, Tubtim "Sue" Howson, 57 fled to Thailand which is her birth country. Notably, she killed the Michigan State University student Benjamin Kable, 22, in Oakland County, Michigan, on January 1.
In a statement by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, he said, "We are extremely pleased we have our suspect in custody in Oakland County, and we thank Judge Asadoorian for her attention to the fact that clearly, the defendant has been a flight risk to the extreme," and added, "I look forward to her being held accountable," reported Law and Crime.
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Howson turned herself in to the authorities in Thailand
Two days after the death of Kable, Howson flew to Bangkok from Detroit on January 3. However, she was later taken into custody back in the US and since February 22, Howson has been detained. At her arraignment on Friday in Michigan, she pleaded not guilty to a count of failure to stop at the scene leading to the death, according to court records.
As per Howson's lawyer Jalal Jamil Dallo, the defendant simply panicked and left the country to be with her husband in Thailand. However, Howson who is a dual citizen of Thailand and the U.S. turned herself into the law enforcement force there, stated Dalla who also added that "She’s not a flight risk. That was when she panicked. The panic is over. She’s back, judge."
What happened on the day of the crash?
On January 1, Kable was hit at approximately 5.49 am when he was either walking or standing on Rochester Road in Oakland Township. According to federal documents, "Witnesses stated the vehicle continued south, turned around to go north, and remained in the area for a short period of time after the crash," and added, "The driver of the vehicle then fled the scene after the incident. AV-1 suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash and died at the scene."
Authorities claimed that Howson "who lived not far from the crash," fled the spot. Investigators got a tip that the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident was named Howson and also received a description of the vehicle. The fugitive allegedly admitted to another person that she had killed someone and that she plans to return to her birth country. Howson refused to surrender to the police when she was requested to as she allegedly said, "No cops," reported Law and Crime.
"It’s very difficult when you lose a child,” Benjamin’s father Michael Kable told WDIV on Friday. Obviously, it’s the worst thing you can go through, and we’re still dealing with it. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, and we still got a few hills left," said Michael Kable, father of Benjamin. As of Monday, March 20, a GoFundMe page aiming a goal of $25,000 for supporting the victim's family has raised $12,482.
