OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The man accused of crashing his truck into a car on I-75, killing a family of four, was arraigned in court on Tuesday and was denied bond.
Charles Dean Pace, 27, from Virginia, was charged with four counts of second-degree murder and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing death.
The crash happened on July 1 just after 9 p.m. According to prosecutors, Pace was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck southbound on I-75 near East Holly Road when he allegedly struck a disabled Chrysler 300 stopped on the side of the roadway.
Michigan State Police investigators said Pace was traveling at speeds exceeding 90 mph and weaving between lanes before the crash.
Investigators also reported that Pace’s blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
All victims were occupants of the disabled Chrysler. Police and family identified the victims as Zakeria Sharon Dodson, 23, Tieree Powell, 24, Nalani Powell, 3, and Karter Powell, 2.
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Pace was arraigned in court on Tuesday, July 7, via Zoom.
You can watch the full arraignment in the video at the beginning of this article.
Officials said Pace was in Michigan the week of the crash for work-related travel.
According to authorities, Pace has a prior criminal history with an alcohol-related offense in Virginia in 2020. He previously admitted himself to a substance abuse treatment program and completed it.
In the arraignment hearing, a judge denied bond for Pace due to the severity of the charges and no ties to Michigan.
He is scheduled to return to court on July 14 for a probable cause conference.