Driver in New Year’s Day Fatal Crash Held on $1 Million Bond!
Oakland County, MI – March 17, 2023 – An Oakland Township woman who fled to
Thailand to avoid charges in the New Year’s Day crash that killed a Michigan State University
student is being held on $1 million bond after being arraigned today.
Tubtim “Sue” Howson, 57, is charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident causing
death – a 5-year-felony – in the Jan. 1 traffic crash that killed 22-year-old Benjamin Kable. 52-3
District Court Judge Lisa Asadoorian set a host of conditions for Howson in the event she can
post bond. Howson would be required to surrender her passport, driver’s license, wear an
electronic tether, and would not be permitted to leave her home for any reason other than to
appear in court. She is currently being held in the Oakland County Jail.
“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,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “I look forward to her being held accountable.”
Crash investigators believe Howson was the driver of the vehicle that struck Kable, a Shelby
Township resident, while he was either standing or walking on Rochester Road south of Whims
Lane in Oakland Township. The crash happened at approximately 5:49am on Jan. 1.
Howson – who lived not far from the crash – fled the scene. Investigators obtained a description
of the vehicle and believed the driver was a female of Asian descent. A tip led Investigators to
identify Howson as the driver. Howson, who is a dual citizen of both the United States and
Thailand, left Michigan two days after the crash and flew to Bangkok.
Sheriff’s Investigators, with the assistance of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and law enforcement
officials from Thailand, were able to locate Howson and she was returned to the United States
in late February.
She was in custody in San Francisco for several court hearings that cleared the way for her
return to Michigan on Wednesday. She arrived in Oakland County Thursday.
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March 17, 2023, Oakland County Sheriff and Rochester.Life staff