WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The tragedy at the intersection of Chicago Road and Mound Road on Saturday morning changed many lives forever.
Warren police said Diamond Leann Glenn, 27, ran into the back of another vehicle and killed 69-year-old Christopher Andelean of Sterling Heights.
Toxicology reports are pending, but Glenn was allegedly drunk.
"I'm still very angry, and I'm like a forgiving-type person. But I'm still very angry," Michele Milam, Andelean's niece told 7 News Detroit.
"I'm not only angry at the person, I'm angry at her people. Whoever she was with that night. Because I don't know too many people that drink alone and drive home at 5 in the morning," she explained.
Police have not revealed where Glenn, a Harrison Township resident, was coming from.
Milam described her uncle as an "excellent human being."
"I wouldn't have agreed to this (interview), however this is the type of person my uncle was. He was a person's voice. He was a union rep at General Motors for over 40 years. He was the type of person that if you read the comments about him on Facebook, it's just beautiful and tremendous," she said.
Milam said her uncle had never met a stranger, that he helped everyone and had married his teenage sweetheart.
"They beat all the odds. They did everything to be a great family. They raised their kids," Milam said.
"My uncle's son just got a new liver last year. He just got the all clear for his new liver. He had cancer. No fault of his own. My uncle drove him every other week to Chicago for the past couple years," she explained.
She said her uncle was set to retire from General Motors this year. Then tragedy struck.
Warren police lieutenant John Gajewski said, "I think if you ask any police officer about the worst parts of the job, everybody will agree that one of, if not, the worst parts of the job is having to contact or knock on the door of a loved one and tell them that their husband, father, mother, sister, wife isn't coming home and that they've been killed in a drunk driving accident."
He said Glenn, so far, is only charged for biting an officer at the scene while toxicology reports are pending.
"It's never been easier to avoid or prevent drunk driving due to technology and these rides sharing apps," he explained.
You can call an Uber or Lyft. Also, AAA has the free Tow-to-Go program.
Adrienne Woodland of AAA Michigan explained, "We implore you put the keys down and call AAA, and what will happen is AAA will dispatch a tow truck that will transport the would-be impaired driver and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius."
Adrienne Woodland of AAA Michigan said you don't have to be a AAA to benefit.
Or as Milam pointed out, if you see someone who's had too much to drink about to drive, intervene.
Milam said, "Why is it where we're always focusing on just that one person driving? We need to focus on who got her to this point because it didn't happen alone in my opinion."
Glenn's next court appearance is January 2nd.
For information on AAA's free Tow-to-Go program click here.
