Young Mother Dies in High-Speed Chase Accident

Anthony Ramirez, a 21-year-old resident of Pontiac, has been charged with multiple felonies as a result of his having driven while intoxicated, which caused the death of a young mother during a high-speed chase. The young woman was a passenger in his car.

On June 10th, Ramirez was noticed by an Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy making an illegal turn in his Camaro on Baldwin St in Pontiac. The officer attempted to pull him over, but Ramirez, who had two outstanding warrants for drugs and larceny, drove away at high speed in an attempt to evade the officers.

The deputies pursued him for a short time, before he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a utility pole. Brandee Sharleen Herritt, the 22-year-old mother of a 1-year-old child, had been sitting in the front seat of the Camaro. She died at the scene, becoming a drunk driving fatality.

Ramirez was injured in the crash, but has since recovered and is currently being held in the Oakland County jail. At his arraignment, bail was posted at $600,000 cash bond, however, he is unable to make the payment and so remains in jail.

He has been charged with operating while intoxicated, fleeing and eluding police, and operating while intoxicated causing a death. At a recent hearing in the 50th District Court in Pontiac, Judge Rhonda Fowlkes Gross ordered him to stand trial in the Oakland County Circuit Court.

If convicted, Ramirez may face up to 15 years in prison for the operating while intoxicated causing a death charge, which is a felony. In addition, fleeing and eluding a police officer which results in the death of another person is considered to be first degree fleeing and eluding and is punishable by a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.