A grieving family in Michigan is struggling with distrust after the driver who fatally injured their son in a crash at 105 mph during college winter break received a lenient sentence that might keep him out of prison.
Keenan Tag, now 18, was charged with second-degree murder following a crash in November 2023 that killed Flynn McCrell. He had previously faced manslaughter charges in connection with the incident.
At the time of the accident, Tag was 16 and charged as an adult. This allowed the judge some flexibility in determining his sentencing, potentially labeling him both a juvenile and an adult, or issuing a blended sentence, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.
On Friday, Judge Mark McCrory opted for probation, assigning Tag to a Level 2 juvenile facility, which is a residential treatment center.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the length of his stay at the facility will hinge on his progress, with the possibility of being released on probation once treatment concludes.
However, if he violates the terms of his probation, he could face a sentence of 19 to 38 months in the Wayne County Detention Facility as an adult.
The family of McCrell was outraged by the relatively mild ruling handed down by the court.
“Do you realize how much pain, energy, and suffering we’ve experienced with no justice?” asked Anne Vanker, McCrell’s mother, outside the courtroom on Friday.
The accident, which occurred on November 17, 2023, saw Tag lose control of his BMW while driving at an alarming speed through a residential area. He crashed into a utility pole and a tree, tragically killing McCrell, a promising swimmer at Dayton University, who died from his injuries. Tag sustained serious injuries but survived.
Prior to the crash, Tag had a history of reckless driving, which investigators confirmed using data from a GPS tracking app.
Messages revealed that Tag’s mother, Elizabeth Puleo-Tag, was aware of his reckless driving tendencies, highlighting concerns she expressed two months before the incident. Despite this knowledge, she allowed him to drive her new BMW.
McCrell’s parents drew parallels between the situation and that of another teen involved in a school shooting, suggesting that a lack of accountability created a dangerous environment.
Vanker emphasized the role of parental responsibility in these tragic outcomes, pointing out that Tag’s mother seemed to enable his reckless behavior.
During the hearing, Tag expressed remorse for his actions, saying, “I feel deep sadness and regret. What hurts me most is understanding that the pain I’ve felt doesn’t compare to what Flynn’s family is going through.”
