The driver of the SUV that fatally struck former Nickelodeon star Kiana Underwood insists he did “nothing wrong,” claiming he attempted to stop another vehicle that hit her afterward and dragged her a considerable distance.
Michael Griffith, 71, emotionally recounted to a local newspaper that he encountered “something” when he crashed into Underwood, who was 33 years old, in Brownsville last Friday morning.
“I did nothing wrong,” he emphasized, while admitting he was the driver of the black 2021 Ford Explorer involved in the incident.
“It was a little dark out. I was on my way to work. … I felt like I hit something, so I pulled over,” he explained.
Surveillance footage shows Underwood running a red light at the intersection of Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue as Griffith’s SUV veered into oncoming traffic to get around a stopped vehicle. He collided with Underwood, causing her to leap across the intersection.
Authorities reported that she was on the ground when hit by a black and gray sedan.
Details from the police indicate that the other vehicle dragged her for “several hundred feet” before she was dislodged and pronounced dead at the scene from severe injuries.
Griffith stated he stopped his vehicle after the impact and “saw another car hit the person and start dragging the person.” He attempted to flag down witnesses to stop the fleeing car, but that driver remains unlocated.
No arrests had been made regarding the incident as of Friday afternoon. Griffith mentioned he left the scene briefly to take medication after feeling faint.
Currently, he hasn’t faced any charges, though police have impounded his vehicle, which has a record of numerous traffic violations, including multiple speeding tickets.
He opted not to speak to investigators, directing them to contact his attorney instead. “No one on earth is perfect. Only a mighty God is perfect,” he stated.
Underwood, who featured in the final season of “All That” back in 2005, had been facing struggles with homelessness in recent years and was often seen in the streets of Brownsville, where her life tragically ended.
