Father of man injured in hit-and-run accident is angry that suspect is free on bond
The father of a man hit by a car in Ypsilanti Township is upset the woman accused in the hit-and-run case was freed from jail after posting $500 toward her bond, WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit Reported.
Kimberly Sue Burke, 23, of Belleville, was released from jail Sunday after being arraigned on two counts of failing to stop at an accident resulting in an injury.
Ypsilanti police Det. Sgt. Troy Fulton said Burke's 2002 Ford Taurus veered off the road at 3 p.m. Friday in the 1300 block of Huron River Drive, where a 24-year-old woman and 25-year-old man were waiting for a bus near the northern edge of the Eastern Michigan University campus.
Police said the car struck both of them, along with mailboxes, street signs and a brick wall.
Burke was arrested roughly a half-hour after the collision, as she was walking on Superior Road, where police also found her damaged car parked in the woods, Fulton said.
The victims were identified by WDIV as Christian Jimenez and Tenesha Bush, both of Ypsilanti Township. Jimenez had a serious head injury and broken leg, Fulton said. Bush also had a broken leg and other injuries, he said. Bush is five months pregnant, WDIV reported.
Israel Perez, Jimenez's father, told WDIV he is upset that Burke was set free after paying 10 percent of her bond.
Comments
Gramma
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 10:46 p.m.
I, too, am surprised the bond was so low. If the bond were higher and she posted the 10%, it would be somewhat different. I also have to wonder if the bond would be so low if the driver were a person of color and the 2 persons injured were white.
Patrick Haggood
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 1:02 p.m.
That *does* seem like a fairly low bail for a hit-and-run
zip the cat
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:54 p.m.
Welcome to the judical system of washtenaw county
djm12652
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.
"Kimberly Sue Burke, 23, of Belleville, was released from jail Sunday after being arraigned on two counts of failing to stop at an accident resulting in an injury." Is this charge different than felony hit and run? Also, is texting while driving being investigated?
jcj
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
Whether you agree with the posting of 10 percent bond or not in this case, is pretty standard. What I find strange is that the story seems to imply that this is unusual. "woman accused in the hit-and-run case was freed from jail after posting $500 toward her bond,"
Cash
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.
jcj, Exactly right.
Jen Eyer
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.
Several off-topic comments regarding this story's headline were removed. A word was added to the headline to make it more clear. Folks, it's fine to criticize our writing, as long as you're constructive about it. Please don't be rude.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
Does the father belive these person is going to skip bail? And if so, is there a rational reason to believe that? Or does tha father simply want to punish this person by any mean neccessary, before this person has a trial?
Gramma
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
I think the fact that she left the scene would be an indicator that she might also skip bail.
Jimmy McNulty
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 12:22 p.m.
Atticus, I believe the point of contention is that the bond is so low which seems disproportionate to the crime and the fact that the suspect fled from the scene of the accident.
bedrog
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.
how many cheeks ( to turn ) do you have?? Ripley ( of 'believe it or not ' fame) may be interested.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
I didn't want to sound to harsh, as I feel for the victims family. But we seriously need to go by what the law says.
Cash
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
Atticus, as always.... a voice of logic. Thanks.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 7:33 p.m.
In our society we dont allow victims to choose the punishment. Their judgment may be clouded by the longing for revenge.
Cash
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
Atticus, You are so right. And this isn't the sentencing phase.
Jafo04
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 6:10 p.m.
I too would like to know the name of the Judge or Magistrate who set a low amount and if this is within the approved guide lines. It would be interesting to find out if this type of "low" bound amount is common with this Judge when dealing with a suspect who is "allegedly" white and the victims are "allegedly" not white. Maybe this will be a chance for aa.com to do some investigative reporting instead of "allegedly" sniping articles from other news agencies. I hope that I am wrong and that the Judge was working within the guidelines. I do hope that the victims recover from their injuries soon.
Cindy Heflin
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 8:08 p.m.
As Concerned Citizen notes above, our coverage of the woman being released, linked to in the article, included the name of the magistrate, Mark Nelson. Here is the link for your reference: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/woman-accused-in-hit-and-run-in-ypsilanti-posts-bond/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/woman-accused-in-hit-and-run-in-ypsilanti-posts-bond/</a> This item is an aggregation of another media outlet's report, properly credited.
cinnabar7071
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 6:06 p.m.
Add me to that list, I'm angry and I have nothing to do with any of this. She should be in JAIL!
BenWoodruff
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.
It would be helpful if annarbor.com would publish the name of the Judge or Magistrate who allowed bond at such a small amount...
Concerned Citizen
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
they did in the original story.
Rici
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
Wait, the father is the angry suspect? Or the man? This garden path is making me confused...
Lola
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:53 p.m.
The insertion of the word "that" would do wonders to clarify the headline. I would also be furious if I were the parent of one of the victims. I hope both make a full and complete recovery and that the baby is alright. A $5,000 bond for something like this seems ridiculously low.
Tom Joad
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
Last time I checked suspects were entitled to bail. Now whether her driver license should be suspended is another question.
John A2
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
AS I would be too. This is a clear case of the right hand not knowing what the left is up too. She severely injured two, and possibly three because the girl was pregnant. How can someone go for so small amount of bond. I hope the court doesn't feel sorry for the runaway driver. The driver needs to be saw by a doctor too , and thats to find out if she is fit to drive at all. This father has a valid reason to be angry, and the judge who set the bond should have his head examined too.
Roadman
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.
He has every right to be angry.