Vigil held for Allen Park teen killed by suspected drunk driver on anniversary of her death

ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - On Thursday a Metro Detroit mother marked the one-year anniversary of her daughter's death from a drunk driver. Tonight a vigil was held to honor the life of 17-year-old Mia Howard.

"Very insightful, caring, loving," her mother Kristina Beaver said.

Mia Howard had no shortage of friends - and she had a lot of things she wanted to do.

"She wanted to graduate high school and become a dental hygenist," said Jessica Mitchell, her sister.

Mia was a senior at Allen Park High School. Her young life cut short when she was hit and killed head-on by a man who police say was intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit.

"I want what happened to her and her story to be told and to be known," her mother said.

Exactly one year after the crash, her family and friends gathered close to the airport — at Middle Belt near Goddard in Romulus — the same place where Mia lost her life on the night of September 22nd, 2021.

"Everyone is here tonight honoring Mia, loving Mia, and feeling Mia and her presence with all of us and never forgetting what an impact she had on everyone’s lives who is here," Beavers said.

The night of the tragedy she was driving to New Boston to take her cousin home. Mia's cousin survived,but her emotional scars will last a lifetime.

Everyone here tonight just wishes the driver of the other car would have made a different choice.

"It’s 100 percent preventable," Mitchell said. "All you have to do is make a plan - you don’t have to not drink, just don’t drink and get behind the wheel."

The driver, Robert Merritt from Romulus, is charged with second-degree homicide, operating under the influence causing death and reckless driving causing death. He is scheduled to be in court this January.