SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The Detroit area's Indian community is mourning the loss of four men killed by a suspected wrong-way driver as they returned home from a visit to a city casino.
The men were affiliated with southeastern Michigan's tight-knit Telugu community, which is comprised of people who speak the Telugu dialect and are from the Andhra Pradesh state in India.
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Michigan State Police said the men were in an SUV at about 4:15 a.m. on the Lodge freeway in Southfield when the crash occurred near Telegraph.
The crash closed the Lodge for more than five hours.
The 23-year-old driver of the other vehicle also died in the crash. That driver's name has not been released.
The victims inside the SUV who died include:
- 30-year old Venkata Chalam Pasala of Tadepalli Gudem, India. He is survived by his wife and 2-month-old daughter.
- 50-year-old Rajendra Prasad Jonnala was Pasala's father-in-law. He was in Michigan visiting due to the recent birth of his granddaughter.
- 35-year-old Satyendranath Akula of Bhimavaram, India. He is survived by his wiife and 2-year-old daughter.
- 32-year-old Sumanth Rajana of Rajannapalem, near Paruwada, India, is survived by his wife.
Pasala, Akula and Rajana all worked as IT professionals for Miracle Software Company. All of them lived in the James Town apartments in Farmington Hills.
"These are all hard-working gentlemen who are coming here to set up their families," said Venkat Aekka, a friend of the victims.
Aekka said the the software company's CEO is in India reaching out the victims' families.
The company released a statement saying, "We wish to extend condolences to the families and friends of Mr. Pasala, Mr. Akula, Mr. Rajana and Mr. Jonnala. Our Miracle family has lost three remarkable and talented young men to this tragedy."
Their bodies will be returned to India for a Hindu burial.
For information on the funeral and visitation times and contribution to the families, go to