COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Deputy Fire Chief Michael Dyer pleaded no contest this week to charges of operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury stemming from a drunk driving incident on June 22.
According to authorities, Dyer, having consumed alcohol at a local bar, was driving on H Avenue near Berry Street when he struck 11-year-old La'Shae Parker. Witness reports indicate Dyer admitted to drinking prior to the incident. Body camera footage from a Kalamazoo County deputy recorded him saying, “I hit somebody. I've been drinking.”
Dyer's blood alcohol levels tested at .158 and .146 during breathalyzer tests conducted at the Kalamazoo County Jail following the crash. Michigan's legal limit is .08.
La'Shae suffered significant injuries, including a broken leg requiring surgery. Her grandmother described the moment, stating, “Tire prints all over her legs. Legs broken. Fingers broken.” La'Shae herself expressed that the incident was “really scary.”
Despite the charges, Comstock Township's Board of Trustees chose not to terminate Dyer's employment in August. As part of the plea agreement, the prosecutor's office is recommending probation for Dyer. Sentencing is scheduled for November 10.
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