It was just another day for two men. Then an argument on the road changed both their family’s lives forever.
Now one man sits in prison. The other lost his life.
For the first time since the trial, his widow is speaking out on camera with a message for every driver.
“We were having a good day. It was a great day,” said Amy Flemming of the day her husband Derek Flemming was killed.
It was the first day of school last year. Derek and Amy dropped their 2 kids off, then went out for a lunch date in Howell.
As they later drove to pick up then eight-year-old Julian and six-year-old Lilian from school a man tailgated them.
“We knew that if we slowed down, or had to stop we would get rear ended,” recalls Amy.
At the next stoplight on Grand River, Derek suddenly put the car in park.
“There is no doubt in my mind he was going to get out, have a few words, and get back in the car before the light turned green.”
That’s not what happened.
“I heard a big bang and it was over within seconds.”
Video recorded by a bus surveillance camera shows just how fast it happened. As the bus goes through a green light it passes Derek Flemming and Martin Zale at a red light. The bus driver looks in her rear view mirror, and sees it all.
“I saw him fall,” said Amy.
She rushed to her husband, who was in the middle of the road.
“I remember placing my hand on Derek’s chest. I could feel his heart beating, but he wasn’t breathing. I looked into his eyes, and he had the most beautiful blue eyes. They were gray. I knew then, but I still screamed at him not to leave,” said Amy.
Minutes later Amy called Derek's parents and told them she needed their help picking up the kids. Derek was dead.
“Derek was a very involved parent and loved those kids, probably more than he loved me and he loved me with all his heart,” said Amy.
A trial followed. Amy learned the shooter, Martin Zale, was a dad - a husband. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Two families are torn apart.
Amy, who relied on her husband for so much is still trying to figure out how to financially support her family, take care of her kids, and of herself.
“When this first happened it was like my very soul was ripped away from me, but I got up every day and I focused on my kids.”
Amy says she decided to talk about the worst day of her life with a purpose.
She is hoping you remember Derek when on the road.
Don’t drive aggressively and if you are the victim of an aggressive driver keep in mind you don’t know what that person is capable of.
“I don’t know what was going on with this guy, before he shot my husband. I don’t know what kind of day he had,” said Amy. “But the fact is, you don’t know what is going on with other people. I really hope that people will remember that.”
A fund has been set up to help Amy provide for her kids the things Derek would have wanted them to have. You can find it at gofundme.com/dzt828.
