Man involved in Walled Lake hit-and-run that killed 13-year-old sentenced to prison

Man sentenced to prison for involvement in deadly Walled Lake crash

Gavin Kassab received eight to 15 years for three counts and five to 10 years for one count.

WALLED LAKE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 20-year-old man was sentenced for his involvement in a hit-and-run that killed a 13-year-old girl and injured several others on March 22, 2023.

"While Gavin was running, they were loading the limp body of my daughter Piper into an ambulance," said the victim's mother, Erica Carrothers – taking the stand during Gavin Kassab's sentencing. "My husband was rushing to the hospital to meet her as I held out hope."

Kassab, who was 18 years old at the time of the crash, was with a driver who was 15 years old. The driver was fleeing police and ran a red light in Walled Lake, causing a four-car crash that killed 13-year-old Piper Carrothers, injured her mother, Erica Carrothers, and seriously wounded the victim's 10-year-old sister, Cora Carrothers.

Both Kassab and the minor who was driving fled from police again after the crash.

"After the crash happened, Gavin ran from the scene. Again, showing no compassion for the shattered lives and for the devastation that was caused from his actionsm" Erica said.

Kassab pleaded no contest to one count of first-degree fleeing and eluding police causing death, two counts of second-degree fleeing and eluding police, and one count of manslaughter and reckless driving causing death. On Tuesday, he received eight to 15 years for three counts and five to 10 years for one count.

Cora was ejected from the vehicle at the time of the incident.

"One officer who responded to the crash… described Cora’s condition as gruesome with blood covering her face and body, in the street," said Bill Carrothers, the victim's father. "She was initially screaming in pain after the crash."

The defendant took the stand during his sentencing to say that he has changed his ways.

"I apologize to the Carrothers family (and) all the victims in the community for the terrible loss and harm I have caused," Kassab said.

Kassab also has another case where he is facing 10 counts of child sexual abuse material from the fall of 2022, when he allegedly sent a 16-year-old victim and her parents harassing messages and links to explicit videos of the victim. He also allegedly live-streamed explicit videos of the victim to his Instagram account. He is set to appear in court for this crime on July 18.

"The harm that you've done to the community is unfashionable. The amount of opportunities that you had to retreat, and to tell the driver to treat, you never did," said Judge Victoria Valentine.

The juvenile driver is still awaiting his sentence.