Lathrup Village, Southfield

Suh settles for speeding citation in 46th District Court

By Jessica Strachan
C & G Staff Writer

SOUTHFIELD/LATHRUP VILLAGE — Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh’s traffic ticket from Lathrup Village has been officially settled in court.

Suh was originally cited for failure to use due care and caution in the fall. His attorney, Eric Krause, appeared at the 46th District Court on Jan. 10 for Suh’s ticket, which had been reduced to a speeding violation of 6-10 mph over the limit, according to a court clerk.

Krause agreed for his client to pay a $125 fine on Thursday and have one point put on his license, the clerk added. The original citation of due care and caution carried a slightly harsher penalty of a $130 fine and two points.

Suh’s local violation happened at around 4:10 p.m. Nov. 15, when the officer patrolling the area cited him after his black Range Rover was spotted traveling at a high rate of speed, passing multiple cars and merging in front of several more vehicles just before the lane ended, according to Police Chief William Armstrong.

Police were originally split on the most fitting citation, though Armstrong decided late last year that the ticket would stand as issued, for the time.

“Mr. Suh was ticketed for driving without due care and caution. It’s an unusual ticket … and it caught my attention,” Armstrong said in November after reviewing the charge and the video from the officer’s dashcam. “I didn’t think that charge fit. I think a better charge would have been a speeding ticket.”

The speed of Suh’s vehicle was never clocked on radar, though Armstrong estimated that Suh was traveling 5-10 mph over the 45 mph speed limit on Southfield Road.

Lathrup Village City Attorney Phil Seymour said he worked with Armstrong, as well as Suh’s attorney, and that speeding was a more suitable violation.

“He ended up admitting responsibility to a one-point offense,” Seymour said, “I think this is what was the most appropriate. I think he was speeding.”

Krause could not be reached for comment.

The court clerk noted that after accepting responsibility for the speeding ticket, the fine was paid and the case was closed the day of the plea agreement.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jessica Strachan at jstrachan@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1108.