Latest news with #UniversityofDayton
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Grosse Pointe teen to be sentenced for killing friend in 105 mph crash
A Grosse Pointe teenager with a history of excessive speeding is scheduled to be sentenced Friday, June 13 for killing his friend in a 105 mph vehicle crash that took the life of a stellar swimmer and college freshman, whose untimely and tragic death in 2023 continues to haunt and torment his family. Flynn MacKrell, 18, a Grosse Pointe freshman at the University of Dayton, was home for Thanksgiving break when a friend took him on a deadly joy ride down a residential street in Grosse Pointe Farms, hitting 105 mph in a BMW before losing control, hitting a pole and then a tree. MacKrell, who was a passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Kiernan Tague, who was 16 at the time, managed to walk out of the vehicle after the crash, but was taken to a local hospital with multiple injuries. The BMW had split in half. According to police reports, cellphone exchanges and Life360 app records obtained by the Free Press, in the weeks and months before the Nov. 17, 2023, fatal crash, Tague hit speeds of 127 mph, 143 mph, 102 mph, 150 mph and 155 mph — all on separate days — and also engaged in drag racing. After the fatal crash, Tague initially was charged with second-degree murder, but accepted a deal with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office that ended with him pleading guilty last year to the lesser charge of vehicular manslaughter — a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Tague, though, has an adult designation, which means the judge has the option of sentencing him as an adult or a juvenile. The judge also could fashion a blended juvenile sentence, with the option of giving him an adult sentence if Tague is not rehabilitated over time. More: 'Slow the f--- down': Grosse Pointe mom's texts to son may come back to haunt her More: Grosse Pointe family: Judge tried to go easy on driver who killed our son The victim's family, meanwhile, wants nothing short of a maximum prison sentence. "If he gets to walk, that solidifies him as a criminal," the victim's mother, Anne Vanker, said on the eve of sentencing. "Time and time again in his life, he has not been held accountable — and now my son is dead .... no one should sit where I have sat for 18 months." Perhaps most frustrating for the victim's family is that the driver's mom knew for months that her son was driving at excessive speeds, and texted him to slow down. But she never revoked his driving privileges when he was speeding around metro Detroit in an Audi sports coupe. "Slow the f--- down!" the mother once texted her son, according to records obtained by the Free Press. "I have screen shots of you … doing 123 mph … It scares me to my bone." The victim's family also pushed for criminal charges to be filed against the driver's mother, though Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy declined their request, concluding the driver was the only one responsible for the tragedy that night, and that his mom did all she could to control her son. 'Parenting is hard in the best of circumstances," Worthy said in a statement after announcing her decision not to charge the mother. "Most parents do everything they can to mentor their children and steer them in the right direction. The juvenile respondent's mother was no different. She took consistent, active steps to try to make sure that he stayed on the right path." The driver's mom, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, has denied numerous requests for comment. As for the driver, his attorney, Gabi Silver, said life will never be the same again for the now 18-year-old high school senior, and that the teen is "very remorseful" for causing the death of a childhood friend who grew up down the street from him. "He is so sorry and sad about what happened," Silver previously said to the Free Press. "That kid was his best friend … he spent most of his time over there. I don't think that he's ever going to be able to put this behind him." But living with guilt is not enough for the victim's family. They want Tague behind bars. "He needs to be in prison," Vanker has said. "He killed our son. Therapy is not enough. . … Now, sentence him appropriately, that's all I want." She stressed: "No one should ever, ever have to lose a child like this … I still can't believe my son — my big calm son — is gone." Tague's sentencing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center in Detroit. Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Grosse Pointe teen to be sentenced for killing friend in 105 mph crash
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UD professor earns $400K+ for new brain study
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A local professor is receiving quite a boon for their research. University of Dayton biology professor Pothitos M. Pitychoutis, is receiving a grant of $413,681 to study a potential catalyst for conditions such as autism, schizophrenia and ADHD. The purpose behind the study is to find more effective and safer treatments for these conditions. 'Overall, gaining insights into the regulation of calcium-cycling processes in the brain may pave the way for developing new, safer and more effective drug therapies for the treatment of these debilitating and costly brain disorders,' Pitychoutis said. Pitychoutis' study will see a closer look at phospholamban, the calcium-handling protein and its impact in the part of the brain that manages sleep, attention and how we process stimuli around us. The grant will help with Pitychoutis' efforts as well as opportunities available for UD students. 'Working on this project will help prepare some of our talented students to pursue postgraduate studies in neuroscience and follow careers in industry and academia, as well as in biomedical and health-related professions,' Pitychoutis said. While the university currently hosts a neuroscience minor, the program will expand to serve as a major for students beginning this fall. For more information on the study and the grant award to Pitychoutis, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Director for Greater West Dayton Incubator announced
The director for the Greater West Dayton Incubator has been announced. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The University of Dayton announced last week that alumna, educator, community advocate, and entrepreneur Juanita-Michelle Darden was named as the director of the Greater West Dayton Incubator. TRENDING STORIES: Back-to-back crashes cause hours-long backup on I-70 1 hospitalized after drive by shooting in Dayton Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests despite the governor's objections The Incubators is an initiative between the University of Dayton's L. William Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and The Entrepreneurs' Center that supports underrepresented and under-resourced entrepreneurs. This support comes in the form of micro-lending, consulting, and educational programs. Darden founded popular local dining options Soul Food Carryout and the former Third Perk Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, according to a release from the university. She was a tenured associate professor of mathematics at Sinclair Community College for 12 years, where she developed programs aimed at reducing barriers to success in mathematics for underrepresented students. Darden has a master of Science in education from UD, according to the release. 'She brings a passion for community and a proven track record of lifting underrepresented entrepreneurs,' Vince Lewis, UD's associate vice president of entrepreneurial initiatives, said. 'She has created spaces that celebrate local talent, build connections, and drive real economic growth. We're excited to see her lead the Greater West Dayton Incubator.' Darden has three priorities for the incubator: increasing awareness and use of resources among Greater West Dayton entrepreneurs; reactivating the advisory council to ensure community voices shape the incubator's direction; and overseeing the launch of its permanent space. 'I'm honored to lead the Greater West Dayton Incubator and to work alongside passionate entrepreneurs and community members,' Darden said. 'Together, we'll build a more inclusive and prosperous future for West Dayton.' [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Officers, medics respond to crash on busy Dayton street
Several officers and medics responded to a crash on a busy local street early Wednesday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Dayton Police officers and medics were dispatched after 1:30 a.m. to the 3700 block of E. Third Street on initial reports of a crash, according to a Montgomery County Regional Dispatch supervisor. TRENDING STORIES: Authorities on scene of serious motorcycle crash in Centerville Bodies of 3 sisters found after visit with their father; Court records reveal likely cause of death Injuries reported after crash near University of Dayton Initial scanner traffic indicated that the vehicle hit a tree, and the driver may have been trapped. Dispatchers did not confirm that to News Center 7. We will update this developing street. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Authorities on scene of serious motorcycle crash in Centerville
Authorities are responding to a motorcycle crash in Centerville early Wednesday morning, a Centerville police and fire dispatcher confirmed. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The crash was reported in the 300 block of E Whipp Road just after midnight. TRENDING STORIES: City leaders, community discuss ongoing gun violence in Springfield Bodies of 3 sisters found after visit with their father; Court records reveal likely cause of death Injuries reported after crash near University of Dayton A Montgomery County dispatch supervisor told News Center 7 that sheriff's deputies are also on scene. News Center 7 crews in the area saw the intersection of Far Hills Avenue and E Whipp Road blocked and several first responders. The dispatch supervisor said crews on scene were doing CPR. Information on the severity of any injuries in this crash was not immediately available. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
