Redford Man Pleads No Contest After Police Chase Crash Injures Warren Driver [Detroit, MI]

A 23-year-old Redford man has entered a no contest plea after a police chase he triggered ended in a crash that left a 73-year-old Warren man with broken legs and a broken pelvis. The plea was entered Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and was reported by ClickOnDetroit Local 4 News today, May 27, 2026.

According to authorities, the incident began around 11:30 a.m. on May 4, 2026, when a Hazel Park police officer attempted to pull over a black pickup truck that ran a red light on Eight Mile Road. The driver, identified as Zaylin Faulkner, refused to stop and fled at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. The chase ended when Faulkner’s truck crashed into a vehicle driven by the 73-year-old Warren man on Seven Mile Road. The elderly victim was transported to a hospital with broken legs and a broken pelvis — injuries that are serious, life-altering, and long in recovery for a person of his age. Faulkner was arrested and charged with second-degree fleeing and eluding and driving while license suspended causing injury. He pleaded no contest to both charges on May 26 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2026.

For the Warren man who was simply driving on Seven Mile Road when a fleeing, suspended-license driver slammed into him, the physical consequences are severe. Broken legs and a broken pelvis in a 73-year-old can mean weeks or months of hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and a recovery process that can permanently affect mobility and independence. The criminal case against Faulkner moves forward on its own track — but the victim’s civil rights are an entirely separate matter, and they are significant.

Understanding the Legal Implications of This Crash

When a driver with a suspended license flees from police, reaches 80 mph, runs a red light, and crashes into an innocent motorist, the legal consequences for that driver are not limited to the criminal charges he faces. Under Michigan law, a person who causes injury through reckless conduct behind the wheel — including fleeing police while unlicensed — is civilly liable to the injured party for the full scope of the harm they caused. Faulkner’s no contest plea to both charges is legally significant: while a no contest plea does not constitute an admission of guilt in the criminal case, it does not prevent the victim from using the facts established in the criminal proceedings as part of a civil injury claim.

For the 73-year-old Warren man, Michigan’s no-fault insurance system will provide initial coverage for his medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who was at fault. However, no-fault benefits have limits, and for an elderly victim facing broken legs, a broken pelvis, surgeries, extended rehabilitation, and potentially permanent changes to his mobility and quality of life, those limits may fall far short of the full compensation he deserves. When a crash is caused by a driver’s reckless and criminal conduct — particularly driving on a suspended license and fleeing police at high speed — Michigan law allows the injured party to pursue a liability claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, serious impairment of a bodily function, and other damages that no-fault does not cover.

An experienced auto accident attorney can help the Warren victim and his family understand every avenue of recovery available, identify all applicable insurance coverage, and make sure that Faulkner’s upcoming sentencing on June 23 is not the end of the story for the person he injured. The criminal justice process addresses the charges Faulkner faces, while the civil process allows the injured victim to pursue financial recovery for the harm he suffered. Those two processes often move forward separately, and experienced legal guidance can help ensure the victim’s rights are protected every step of the way.

If you or a family member were injured in a crash caused by a driver who was fleeing police, driving on a suspended license, or otherwise driving recklessly anywhere in the Metro Detroit area, our team is here to help. We proudly serve clients throughout Wayne County, Oakland County, and the surrounding Metro Detroit communities, including Warren and the communities served by Eight Mile and Seven Mile roads. To speak with an experienced Michigan personal injury attorney, contact us today.

Source: ClickOnDetroit