Impaired Driving Task Force Overview
VII.
SHOWCASE: THE INGHAM REGIONAL CRASH INVESTIGATION TEAM
Author
The Ingham Regional Crash Investigation Team (IRCIT) is responsible for policing serious injury and fatal crash scenes within Ingham County. The team is composed of law enforcement officers, forensic experts, and other professionals with expertise in crash investigation and reconstruction. When a serious injury or fatal crash happens, the jurisdiction responsible requests assistance from IRCIT. If members are on duty and can respond, they do. If no crash investigators are on duty, an alert is initiated and up to four investigators respond to the scene. The department who has primary jurisdiction at the scene is responsible for assigning an investigator from their department as the “lead.” The other three assist the lead in whichever role they ask in documenting the crash scene through photographs, scene sketch, forensic crash scene mapping, etc. The law enforcement officers on the team come from various agencies within Ingham County including the Michigan State Police, Lansing Police, Michigan State University Police, Meridian Township Police, Lansing Township Police, East Lansing Police, and the Ingham County Sheriff's Office. Team members assist with crash investigations by collecting and analyzing physical evidence, reconstructing the crash, and determining its cause. The team also includes two dedicated Ingham County prosecutors whose job is to ensure any criminal charges resulting from the investigation are appropriately prosecuted. Overall, this team of crash investigators work closely together to investigate fatal crashes in Ingham County with members from various jurisdictions bringing their unique expertise and resources to the table to ensure a thorough and effective investigation. A recent investigation by IRCIT led to the conviction of Damerious Church on two counts of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death and two counts of 2nd degree homicide. On March 8, 2019, Church was driving aggressively, and while trying to pass other vehicles on the shoulder, his vehicle left the roadway backwards and striking a tree with the rear of the vehicle, killing his 9-year-old son, Deandre Church, and 8- year-old daughter, De'Asia Church. This investigation was a testament to how a team of investigators worked together to accomplish a goal; to be the voice of and secure justice for the victims.
Ken Stecker Former Michigan Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Member, MADD Law Enforcement Committee
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving ®
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