Kent County Deputy faces no charges after running over and killing Riley Doggett after a pursuit
By: No charges will be filed against a Kent County deputy accused of hitting and killing a teenager with a sheriff's cruiser, according to Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Becker.
"Based on the facts of the circumstances, I did not find a basis to charge the officer," Becker said at a news conference Tuesday.
Riley Doggett, 17, died of his injuries in the hospital on May 9.
The 17-year-old and another teenager were found driving a stolen Land Rover near the Allegan-Ottawa County line on April 8 when they crashed and tried to run away.
Doggett would be sideswiped by a sheriff's cruiser driven by deputy Josiah McMains minutes later, catching his leg under the car and landing hard on his head, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Two weeks after Doggett's death Tuesday, Becker announced that McMains wouldn't be charged in the case due to insufficient evidence.
Evaluations of multiple charges, including involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving causing death and moving violation causing death, also did not fit the description of the incident, Becker said.
The driver of the stolen car, on the other hand, faces charges of fleeing and eluding causing death and continuing criminal enterprises, or CCE.
The Juvenile could also be charged as an adult because the four minute, 45 second chase ended in Doggett's death, according to Becker.
Tuesday's announcement comes just four days after attorney Ven Johnson, who is representing the Doggett family, claimed that the family has yet to receive a police report surrounding the 17-year-old's death.
Because of this, a civil action lawsuit has not yet been filed.
Johnson spoke with News Channel 3 after Becker's announcement of the charges against the juvenile driver.
"We obviously disagree with prosecutor Becker's conclusion that he can't bring charges, but that's his call," Johnson said.
Becky Wilbert, Doggett's mother, said they brought charges against the wrong person.
"The juvenile driver is not the one who hit my son," she said. "The officer hit my son."
Previous coverage:Attorney demands police video be released in Riley Doggett death
Johnson and the Doggetts had demanded that police release footage of the teenager's death, saying that deputies should not be allowed to "hide it."
"They should not be allowed to hide this from the families, hide this from the public," Johnson said. "To be able to hide this video from the family and from the public for 46 days is shameful and disrespectful." At Tuesday's news conference, Becker said the family had been allowed to see the video.
Moving forward, Doggett's family plans to conduct an independent autopsy, saying they believe the teenager's death was due to excessive and deadly force.
"That's not a sideswipe, especially when you have the front passenger's side wheel running up the back of your left leg, taking your shoe off, and leaving a tire print on your left calf," Johnson said.
Wilbert is worried about the possible precedent this situation may set.
"These officers are getting out of control, and without charges being pressed, that more officers will think that they can do the same thing and get away with it, and that's not okay," she said.
Johnson said he plans to write a letter to Attorney General Dana Nessel, asking her to review the evidence and bring criminal charges against McMains.