Man charged in fatal car crash he caused after allegedly fleeing Michigan State Police

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The fatal collision that killed a 59-year-old man could have been prevented had Amir Napper just pulled over. 

Instead, he fled Michigan State Police after a trooper flipped on their lights. Speeding off of the highway, he lost control, went airborne, and killed an innocent driver. Now, the offenses that Napper is accused of causing are far more severe than what police originally wanted to pull him over for.

"Somebody died that was minding their own business because of the actions of somebody else. There’s only one person that’s responsible for a police pursuit and that’s that suspect driver," said First Lt. Mike Shaw.

In court Thursday for an arraignment, Napper was charged with fleeing a police officer, operating with a suspended license causing death, and carrying a concealed weapon - in a addition to reckless driving causing death. 

He was in possession of a ghost gun when he lost control.

"He is going, by his own words, approximately 100 miles. Police had to go in excess of 100 miles to catch up to Mr. Napper. He is going in and out of traffic without signaling," the magistrate recounted during the hearing.

Amir Napper

The tragic circumstances aren't novel - and according to Shaw - are happening more often.

"The bigger picture is pretty simple. When the police get behind you and turn the lights on, just pull over and stop," he said. "A lot of times in these pursuits that we're seeing, it's because somebody had a suspended license or maybe a child support warrant. It wasn’t even that they were fleeing from this heinous crime."

The crime that Napper was accused of and prompted the attempted traffic stop was traveling with a suspended license. 

Shaw says it's not the charge worth fleeing from and isn't worth the risk of committing a bigger crime or hurting someone in the process.

"If this person would have pulled over, we would’ve went about whatever was going on. Maybe you get arrested for whatever reason that you’ve thought that you’re running from, and maybe you don’t even go to court," he said.

The suspect is being held on $50,000 bond and will be back in court next Monday.