LEFT: Travion Smith. RIGHT: Angelo Rickey Smith.
By: Brian Wells | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published August 1, 2025
STERLING HEIGHTS — In response to what he said is a growing number of drivers fleeing from police, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido is calling for legislation that would impose stricter penalties on drivers who refuse to stop.
“Every time someone runs, they roll the dice with innocent lives,” Lucido said in a statement. “We need statutory enhancement of consequences including mandatory prison time. The people of the state of Michigan deserve to be protected.”
The cases
A jury recently found a Detroit man guilty of hitting and killing a pregnant woman and her unborn son and causing serious injuries to her husband and son while fleeing police.
At 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2023, Travion Smith, who was 16 years old at the time, was driving a Chevy Equinox northbound on Van Dyke near the intersection of 15 Mile Road.
According to Macomb County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Robert Leonetti, Smith was driving in an erratic fashion. He cut off a patrol car, drove with turn signals on without making a turn and made a turn without using a signal.
Smith’s driving led officers to believe he may have been intoxicated, Leonetti said. Additionally, a police database check at the time showed the vehicle was uninsured.
According to the release from Lucido’s office, when officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Smith fled, leading police on a pursuit with speeds reaching 93 mph. Smith then ran the red light at 16 Mile Road and hit the vehicle occupied by Norman and Faith Gumma, and their 4-year-old son.
Faith Gumma and their unborn child were pronounced dead at the scene. Norman Gumma remains paralyzed from his injuries, according to the release, and their son has recovered from his injuries. Smith was uninjured in the crash.
Following a jury trial, Smith was found guilty of second-degree homicide, a felony punishable by up to life in prison; causing a miscarriage and first-degree fleeing and eluding, both of which are 15-year felonies. He was also charged with two counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment, a five-year felony.
Smith was scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Aug. 26 in front of Circuit Court Judge James Biernat Jr.
His attorney, Adil Haradhvala, did not return a request for comment.
In a case from 2021, a 21-year-old man driving a stolen Jeep who hit and killed a woman while fleeing from police pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
On April 29, 2021, Angelo Rickey Smith, who was 17 at the time, stole several vehicles from a dealership with the help of other accomplices, according to a press release from Lucido’s office.
When police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Angelo Smith fled police, going southbound on M-53 and reaching speeds of over 130 mph, the press release states. Angelo Smith then ran a red light at 15 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue, colliding with two other vehicles.
Emmon Woods, 20, an occupant in one of the vehicles, was pronounced dead at the scene.
On July 24, Angelo Smith pleaded no contest to second-degree homicide, a felony punishable by up to life in prison; first-degree fleeing and eluding, a 15-year felony; breaking and entering a building with intent, a 10-year felony; and larceny in a building, a four-year felony.
Angelo Smith is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 4 by Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Michael Servitto. His attorney, Joshua Van Laan, declined to comment.