'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABjAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAEDBAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwUABBESBgcUISMxAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBBEAAgEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMBAAQREiExcf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8An/WN1Idi8ylAn3mn2LcCkyYBrQXXWC0FD9rlNSrRtvFdd+O1rwy2EdBwKSN9hEx+J9aUqdalJMoWAjGI4iKe4YbddyIsZ7nyv//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On New Year’s Day, 22-year-old Michigan State University student Benjamin Kable was killed in a hit-and-run crash in the southbound lane of an Oakland Township Road. Authorities identified the suspect as a 57-year-old woman named Tubtim “Sue” Howson.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office stated that Howson couldn’t stop her vehicle at the crash scene. According to the FBI, Howson is accused of fleeing to Thailand to avoid prosecution.
The 57-year-old allegedly left the country shortly after she became a suspect in the hit-and-run case that killed Benjamin Kable. Authorities have contacted the Thai government to extradite Tubtim “Sue” Howson.
Sue Howson, accused of hit-and-run crash that killed Benjamin Kable, flees to Thailand
In the hit-and-run crash that killed a Michigan State University student named Benjamin Kable on January 1, 2023, witnesses said that Howson did not stop her vehicle after the crash and fled the area.
The incident occurred at about 5.45 am when Kable was walking in the southbound lane of Oakland Township Road. He was walking home after telling his friends that he was kicked out of an Uber the same day.
Sue Howson is accused of fleeing to her native country shortly after becoming a suspect, around five days after the deadly crash. According to CBS, Tubtim “Sue” Howson was charged with a federal crime related to her sudden one-way flight to Thailand on January 3.
A court filing that FBI agent Matthew C. Schuff co-signed stated:
“Howson, a United States citizen, is originally from Thailand and allegedly told a close associate after the crash that she thought she killed somebody and that she was going back to Thailand.”
According to the FBI complaint filed on February 6, Howson intended to “avoid prosecution.”
On February 2, 2023, Howson was charged in the Oakland County District Court. She was driving a BMW 320i on the day the fatal crash killed Benjamin Kable. When Howson’s “associate” reportedly asked her to turn herself in, she responded by saying,
“No cops, no cops.”
Tubtim “Sue” Howson reportedly booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok via Dallas, Finland. According to authorities, Howson already faces a charge of failing to stop in a serious accident.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said,
“I call on the Thai government to extradite her so we can hold her accountable for her actions involving this young man's tragic death.”
Michael Kable, Ben's dad, said,
“I mean, it keeps the wound open. Losing a child or sibling, i don't think you ever get over it, I think it’s always there. I think over a long period of time you learn to cope somewhat better but this piled on top of it makes it even more difficult... Obviously, there’s some anger involved.”
A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support Benjamin Kable's family
After the incident, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to provide financial assistance to Ben Kable’s family. The post mentioned that he was a Senior studying electrical engineering. Benjamin was also fond of playing video games, hunting, fishing, and hanging out with his family and friends. It further stated:
“He was a gentle soul who you could always rely on and was always there if you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to. If you ever needed a good laugh, Benjamin was the person you would turn to.”
Kable’s father spoke to the Detroit News about the incident that happened on New Year’s Day and said,
“When she [Uber driver] kicked him out, it was on Rochester Road, a very bad spot. There’s no streetlights, there’s no sidewalk, you know, very minimal of any shoulder. He actually texted his friends that she was kicking him out, ‘Looks like I’m walking from here.’”
He added,
“It's very hard to literally accept the fact [that] somebody who’s been around all the time is actually gone. I think in your brain, you don’t believe it.”
The fundraiser aimed at raising $25,000, and over 120 donors have already donated more than $10,000.
The investigation is ongoing, and the FBI is looking into the hit-and-run crash that killed Benjamin Kable. The FBI also stated that she could be charged with felony interstate flight to avoid prosecution.
