Holland man found guilty of manslaughter in fatal drunk driving crash
GRAND HAVEN — A jury has found Michael Brown Jr., of Holland, guilty of manslaughter in the February 2022 alcohol-induced fatal crash that caused the death of 77-year-old Eugene Filar.
Brown was also found guilty of operating while intoxicated causing death and operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, reports the The Grand Haven Tribune. The serious injury was to Filar's wife, Carol, a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
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In the state of Michigan, manslaughter is a felony that carries up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $7,500. The charge of operating while intoxicated causing death is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. The charge of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, fines and vehicle immobilization.
Before the jury went into deliberations Friday, March 10, they heard from both the prosecution and defense, the latter of which argued against a second-degree murder charge, which was originally on the table.
“A murderer is set apart and put on the trash heap because we’re so scared and they should never see the light of day again,” Grand Rapids attorney Jonathan Schildgen said Friday. “Being a bad driver is not murder.”
The jury heard details of the night of the incident, including where Brown went that evening (Brann's Steakhouse), how much he had to drink, and testimony from other drivers.
Earlier court records showed Brown drank at Brann's for about seven hours before getting behind the wheel. Staff at Brann's testified in March 2022 that Brown started drinking around 11:30 a.m. and was cut off after "several hours" at a table, when he started spilling his drinks.
Brown left Brann's sometime after 7 p.m. and drove onto northbound U.S.-31, where witnesses reported he drove wildly, changing lanes and speeding for less than half a mile before he rear-ended a car stopped at a red light between James Street and Felch Street.
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Pre-crash data recorded in Brown's car showed he was driving 96 miles per hour seconds before the crash. Blood tests after the crash detected a 0.255 blood alcohol content, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Brann’s Steakhouse ultimately had its liquor license suspended for two weeks, and was fined, over its handling of the incident.
Brown is slated for sentencing next month in Ottawa County's 20th Circuit Court.
— The Holland Sentinel contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland man found guilty of manslaughter in fatal drunk driving crash
