Mom Outraged Over Driver’s Sentence in 100-mph Crash That Killed Son

A Michigan community is reeling after a teenage driver who killed his friend in a 100-mph crash walked out of court with nothing but probation — and a devastated family is calling out the justice system for choosing leniency over accountability.

Anne Vanker says her life was shattered on November 17, 2023, when her 18-year-old son, Flynn MacKrell, was killed as a passenger in a car that slammed into a telephone pole. Behind the wheel: then-16-year-old Kiernan Tague, who was clocked at nearly 100 mph — in a 25-mph residential zone.

“This is not justice,” Vanker declared after the sentencing. “Instead of being held accountable, Kiernan Tague was shielded from the full consequences of his violent and criminal actions. My family will never stop fighting for Flynn.”

Court records reveal Tague’s history of dangerous driving went unchecked. In the two weeks leading up to the fatal crash, Tague sped at over 120 mph nearly a dozen times. “Of 94 trips in his car, 10 percent were over 120 mph, 18 percent over 110 mph, 26 percent over 100 mph, and nearly half over 90 mph,” Vanker wrote in a blistering Facebook post.

Police records paint an even darker picture: Tague was involved in 20 separate police incidents since 2018, most sparked by violent outbursts so severe his own mother called 911.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy didn’t mince words: “The evidence will show the defendant was driving in a residential neighborhood at speeds that rival Michigan freeways. Speed kills. The rules of the road exist for a reason.”

Despite initially facing second-degree murder charges, Tague was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter with a “blended sentence” due to his age. The result: he’ll serve probation at a Level 2 juvenile facility — and no jail time.

All this, even after two pre-sentencing reports called for adult sentencing and harsher consequences.

Vanker’s anger reflects a growing frustration among Americans who see soft-on-crime policies and “woke” judicial decisions as letting offenders walk free while victims’ families suffer.

“This decision results in a continued injustice for Flynn, our family, and every community that expects real consequences for fatal, preventable actions,” she wrote. “Flynn’s voice was stolen — now mine must speak for him.”

Vanker also blasted Tague for never acknowledging “the gravity of the crime” or expressing “real remorse.” During sentencing, Tague choked up and called Flynn his “best friend,” but the MacKrell family says that’s not enough. “He killed my son, through repeated reckless and destructive behavior. The justice system has failed to hold him fully responsible.”

Now, the MacKrell family vows to fight for stiffer penalties for reckless drivers and a return to common-sense justice. “We will continue to advocate for stronger laws,” Vanker said. “There must be accountability.”