A Michigan man will spend several decades in prison for killing a pregnant mother and her unborn child during a high-speed chase while attempting to evade police on a misdemeanor violation.
Travion Twon-Deangelo Smith, 18, was found guilty by a Macomb County jury in July of one count of second-degree murder, gross negligence causing the death of a fetus, and fleeing and eluding, as well as two counts of reckless driving causing serious injury, for the August 2023 deaths of Faith Gumma and her unborn child.
On Tuesday, Smith was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison by 16th Circuit Court Judge James Biernat.
Courtroom drama abounded, thanks to the defendant’s defiant allocution and the prosecutor’s scathing response.
“I was 16 when this terrible accident occurred,” Smith stated during the hearing, according to a courtroom report from The Detroit News. “I was scared, your honor, and I had no idea what happened that day. I honestly don’t understand why they followed me in the first place. I am not a murderer by any means.”
On August 12, 2023, Sterling Heights Police Department officers cited two distinct reasons for pulling Smith over around 9:30 p.m. on the night in question.
“They observed this tan Equinox driving down 15 Mile in the right lane with its left turn signal on, not changing lanes or anything,” Lt. Mario Bastianelli stated at the time of the incident. “It was a common indication that someone had been under the influence or something. We get behind the car and check the license plate. “The vehicle returned without insurance, which is a misdemeanor.”
Smith, on the other hand, fled in the Equinox, reaching speeds of 93 miles per hour. Then, at the intersection of 16 Mile and Van Dyke Avenue, Smith ran a red light, resulting in fatal and life-changing consequences.
Along with the 31-year-old expectant mother’s death, her husband, Norman Gumma, 36, and their 2-year-old son were seriously injured. Smith was not injured in the crash. Although the boy eventually recovered, Norman Gumma remains paralyzed to this day.
“This jury verdict reminds us all that every choice we make has long-term consequences,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido stated in a press release following the verdict. “This young man’s decision to flee a routine traffic stop has resulted in a devastating loss. His actions shattered a family and undermined the community’s sense of safety.
On Tuesday, Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Steve Fox questioned Smith’s denial of responsibility.
“He says he is not a murderer,” Fox allegedly stated, according to the News. “I have news for you, sir: you are. Your actions killed a woman and her unborn child. “You are a murderer.”
Smith also apologized to the family. The prosecutor also seized on that portion of the defendant’s soliloquy.
“He can’t even make it through a statement to the family, or express his condolences without immediately turning it into himself,” Fox said, according to a courtroom report by Detroit-based NBC affiliate WDIV.
Following testimony from Smith and the prosecutor, the judge commented on the surviving father’s quality of life, describing his complete paralysis and inability to speak as “a fate worse than death.”
“Going back to that night, you had no drugs or guns in your car,” Biernat said to the defendant. “You had no idea the car had no insurance. You would have been pulled over and issued a ticket for driving without insurance. “That is all.”
The judge’s pleading voice changed to one of pathos and anger: “You literally wiped out a family. All you needed to do was stop.”
