Goran Djordjevski, the 41-year-old husband and father from Farmington Hills who stands accused of causing a severe drunk driving accident and then leaving the unintended victim to burn to death in her vehicle will stand trial, according to Novi District Judge Robert Bondy.
At his recent preliminary hearing, Djordjevski sat quietly while a series of witnesses testified to his actions that fateful night, and the terrible consequences for everyone involved. He is charged with two 15 year felonies: operating while intoxicated causing death, and failure to stop at an accident resulting in death.
According to witnesses, Djordjevski’s Chevy SUV crashed into the back of a GMC SUV driven by 44-year-old Janet Reed, a Pizza Hut delivery driver who was working at the time of the accident. Djordjevski apparently hit her car with such force that he caused it to roll over and burst into flames.
Witnesses at the scene claim that Reed’s driver’s side door was briefly opened while the car was lying on it’s side, but fell back and closed her in, trapping her in the vehicle. Before anyone was able to reach her to assist in her escape, the car caught fire and was engulfed in flames. According to the medical examiner’s report, Reed died of smoke inhalation and thermal burns.
Apparently Djordjevski drove a short distance away, and then stopped his car, climbed out and wandered away. Zachary Rohde, another witness to the accident who lived nearby, noticed the driver wandering away and chased him. He found Djordjevski standing aimlessly behind a building. He was described as being confused and disoriented.
At first it was suspected that he may have suffered a head injury in the collision. But lab results from the hospital show that shortly after the accident, Djordjevski’s blood alcohol level was 0.234 %, which is almost three times the state’s legal limit for drivers. He was indeed an intoxicated driver.
Mitchell Ribitwer, Djordjevski’s defense attorney told the court that he didn’t intend to argue with the operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death charge, but did request that the judge dismiss the failure to stop at an accident resulting in death charge.
Djordjevski was granted a conditional bond of $100,000, which stipulated that he must surrender his passport, not leave the state without the court’s permission, consume no alcohol in any quantity, surrender to regular drug and alcohol testing, and wear an alcohol tether. He is also forbidden from possessing any firearms, and is required to be present for all of his scheduled court proceedings.
His next court date has been scheduled for March 23rd in the Oakland County Circuit Court before Judge Martha Anderson.
