Driver charged after accident that left one dead and two injured on I-75

DETROIT – A driver has been charged with causing a crash on I-75 that left one person dead and two injured.

Crash details

The accident occurred on August 26, 2023 at approximately 2:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-75 near Clark Street in Detroit.

According to police, 42-year-old Damien Eldridge Thomas of Detroit was driving north on the southbound lane and collided head-on with a Kia and a Volkswagen in his white SUV.

The driver of the Kia – later identified as 27-year-old Drasan Clanton of Hazel Park – was found unconscious outside his car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Thomas and the 27-year-old Detroit man who was driving the Volkswagen suffered serious injuries, officials said. They were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Officials believe Thomas was drunk at the time of the accident.

Fees

Michigan State Police arrested Thomas on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

He was arraigned in 36th District Court at 11 a.m. Friday on charges of drunken driving causing death and reckless driving causing death.

“His blood alcohol content was 0.131,” said prosecutor Jennifer Douglas. “THC was detected, ketamine was detected, but not quantified. The blood draw was done at 7 a.m., four and a half hours after the accident, and so four and a half hours later his blood alcohol content was still 0.131, which is pretty high for that amount of time.”

Douglas asked for bail of $100,000 cash or surety and the defense asked for $50,000 plus 10%.

The defense attorney said Thomas worked as a personal trainer at a gym.

Bail was set at $50,000 plus 10%, as requested by defense counsel.

Thomas is not allowed to drive or drink alcohol. He must wear a GPS device and observe a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In the event that bail cannot be paid, a bail re-hearing has been scheduled for Monday, August 26, at 9:00 a.m.

A probable cause conference is scheduled for August 30 and a preliminary examination is scheduled for September 6.

Traffic fines discussed at the time of indictment

The judge said Thomas failed to appear in court on a traffic charge, which is why a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He had tickets for driving without a license, driving without a permit, and driving with an invalid license.

A pretrial hearing on these traffic cases was scheduled for September 16, 2024.

You can watch the full indictment here.: