MSP trooper killed on I-75 • Opening statements in Jennifer Crumbley's trial • Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan

THURSDAY NEWS HIT - Jennifer Crumbley's trial gets underway Thursday morning after jurors were announced Wednesday.

She is facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Nov. 30, 2021 Oxford High School shooting committed by her son. Her husband, James Crumbley, faces the same charges.

The parents are accused of ignoring their son's mental health and providing him with the weapon that he used to kill four students at the school. Their son was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole late last year.

Now, both parents will have separate trials on the charges.

After two days of questioning potential jurors on guns, mental health, and more, and dismissing more than a dozen, Jennifer's jury was selected Wednesday.

Seventeen jurors were selected, with five picked to be alternates, while 12 others will be seated for the trial. The trial is expected to last for several weeks.

MSP trooper killed on I-75

A Michigan State Police trooper is dead after he was hit while investigating a suspected impaired driver. 

Joel Popp, 39, and other troopers were on the northbound side of I-75 near Birch Run Road investigating a driver who was stopped on a curve just before 7:15 p.m. Popp was outside his vehicle when an 81-year-old driver hit two patrol cars and Popp.

Popp was taken to Hurley Medical Center, where he died. The other driver suffered serious injuries, but is expected to survive.

Popp enlisted with Michigan State Police in January 2020 and has been with the Tri-City Post for his whole career. He leaves behind his wife Stefanie and a young daughter. 

Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan 

University of Michigan Football coach Jim Harbaugh is leaving for the NFL after the team's national championship win.

Harbaugh will coach the Chargers.

It's been nearly a decade since Harbaugh coached in the NFL. His last job was as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. During his time in the Bay Area, Harbaugh led the Niners to three NFC Championship games as well as an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII against his brother John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens.

Before announcing the news at 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, the Chargers issued a pair of cryptic social media posts. The first post featured a video of white smoke puffing out and a second post recites Harbaugh's popular catch phrase, "Who's got it better than us?"

Whitmer lays out agenda during State of the State

During the 2024 State of the State, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer highlighted policies implemented by Democrats in 2023, their first year with full control of the agenda in over four decades. Democrats worked to repeal a union-restricting law known as "right-to-work," overhaul gun laws in the state, and further protect both LGBTQ+ and abortion rights.

Among her priorities, Whitmer emphasized she will continue investing in education, from preschool to college.

"When I introduce my next budget, we're going to keep feeding students and lowering grocery bills for families," the governor said. "We know education in Michigan needs more support and more work and we want student outcomes to exceed our expectations. We need to better prepare students for success after they graduate, whether they go right into the workforce or enter community college, trade school, or a four-year university."

She urged state lawmakers to pass legislation that would provide free community college tuition for all high school graduates.

‘Barrels of weed’ stolen from Detroit dispensaries

Thieves made off with "barrels of weed" after smash-and-grabs at Detroit dispensaries.

The first marijuana smash-and-grab happened on Monday at Wyoming and Puritan where a black pickup truck backed into a building. A witness tells us that several people wearing masks got out and started removing barrels of marijuana.

That same day, Detroit Police say a truck drove into the back of a business on Schaefer near Eaton. They called it a case of breaking and entering - and also confirmed a hole in the front of a building on Hayes.

Then on Wednesday morning, FOX 2 was at two different scenes – one on Joy near Whitcomb where there were huge holes in the walls and plants everywhere.

Ammar Awada lives nearby and can't believe what happened – but is thankful nobody was hurt.

"Let’s say someone was walking. They would have gotten killed," Awada said. "We need some more cops around here. We need some more police around, that’s what we need."

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

Milder temperatures are in the forecast for the next week.

What else we're watching

1. A Detroit home has been without water for six weeks, and the tenant's landlord owes more than $7,000 for water. A spokesperson with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department said they did not know there were tenants in the duplex.
2. The city of Detroit is being sued after a bus driver who had previously hit and killed someone hit and killed another person. 
3. A sneak peek of the Movement Music Festival was revealed this week. See what to expect here.
4. An armed man shot by Shelby Township police officers earlier this month told police that he wanted police to kill him, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said.
5. The weekend is almost here! Find things to do here.

Ring will stop allowing police request doorbell camera footage from users

Amazon-owned Ring will stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Ring said it will sunset the "Request for Assistance" tool, which allows police departments and other public safety agencies to request and receive video captured by the doorbell cameras through Ring’s Neighbors app.

The company did not provide a reason for the change, which will be effective starting this week.

Read more here.

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