A man believed to be in the United States illegally will face an Oakland County Circuit judge on June 17 for arraignment on two felonies in connection with a head-on crash in Farmington Hills that killed an 81-year-old Detroiter.
At the conclusion of a preliminary exam June 5 in 47th District Court, the case against Richard Leon-Zghen was bound over to the higher court for possible trial. Leon-Zghen, 26, is charged with reckless driving causing death and operating while intoxicated for the March 13 collision on I-696 that resulted in the death of George Fitzpatrick.
Richard Leon-Zghen booking photo
Officials said Leon-Zghen was a Northville resident at the time of the crash. His Oakland County Jail record shows an immigration detainer from the Department of Homeland Security.
The collision happened at approximately 4:30 a.m. on the expressway, near Halsted Road.
Police initially said a preliminary investigation suggested Fitzpatrick was the at-fault driver and that he had been traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-696 when he crashed into an SUV driven by Leon-Zghen. But digital forensic evidence obtained as the investigation continued showed Leon-Zghen caused the crash, officials said.
Police officers responding to the scene found Fitzpatrick unresponsive and Leon-Zghen with minor injuries. Both men were transported to Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital where Fitzpatrick was pronounced dead.
Leon-Zghen was taken into custody on March 17. His case is assigned to Judge Nanci Grant.
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