MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – A Macomb County man will spend decades behind bars for a deadly wrong-way crash on I-696 in May 2023.
Background: Drunk driver going wrong way on I-696 crashed head-on into 2 cars, killed 1 driver
Prosecutors say Stephano Nabors hit one car and then caused a head-on collision near Gratiot, killing another driver. A jury found Nabors guilty of second-degree murder and two other charges.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido described the case as one involving decades in prison and a family forever changed after losing a loved one. He said prosecutors believe the tragedy could have been avoided.
“This seems like the innocent are dying and the ones that are causing the problems and breaking the law are living,” Lucido said.
Prosecutors say Nabors, 42, was drinking and driving the wrong way on eastbound I-696 in Macomb County. He first hit a car on Couzens Road, causing it to roll over. Nabors did not stop and nearly hit a patrol car before fleeing police, still driving in the wrong lanes.
“It’s a gamble,” Lucido said. “When you’re gambling like this, be prepared to pay.”
Nabors then slammed head-on into a Chevy SUV, killing the 62-year-old driver from Harper Woods. He was charged with operating while intoxicated, reckless driving causing death, and fleeing police.
Lucido is now calling for stiffer penalties across the state for those who choose to run from police.
“It’s happening in Wayne and it’s happening in Oakland,” Lucido said. “My position is if you break the law, you’re not getting any deal.”
Nabors was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2025, to 30 to 60 years in prison.