by MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. — An 18-year-old Michigan man has been sentenced to decades in prison for causing a devastating crash that killed a pregnant mother and her unborn baby while leaving her husband permanently paralyzed.
On Tuesday, Travion Twon-Deangelo Smith was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in state prison by 16th Circuit Court Judge James Biernat after a Macomb County jury found him guilty of multiple charges stemming from the August 2023 tragedy.
The Fatal Crash
The deadly crash happened on Aug. 12, 2023, when police in Sterling Heights attempted to pull over Smith’s tan Chevrolet Equinox. Officers observed the vehicle driving suspiciously, with its turn signal on but not changing lanes. A records check revealed the vehicle had no insurance, a misdemeanor violation.
Instead of stopping, Smith fled, reaching 93 mph before running a red light at the intersection of 16 Mile and Van Dyke Avenue. His vehicle collided with the Gumma family, killing 31-year-old Faith Gumma, who was pregnant at the time.
Her husband, Norman Gumma, 36, and their 2-year-old son were both critically injured. The boy recovered, but Norman was left paralyzed and unable to speak.
Smith walked away uninjured.
Convictions and Charges
In July, Smith was convicted of:
- Second-degree murder
- Gross negligence causing the death of a fetus
- Fleeing and eluding police
- Two counts of reckless driving causing serious injury
Courtroom Statements
During Tuesday’s sentencing, Smith addressed the court, claiming he was only 16 at the time of the crash and that he was not “a murderer.”
“I was scared, your honor, and I didn’t understand what happened that day,” Smith said, according to The Detroit News. “I truly don’t understand why they followed me in the first place. I am not a murderer of any kind.”
Prosecutors strongly rejected that claim.
“You are a murderer,” Assistant Prosecutor Steve Fox told Smith. “Your conduct killed a woman and her unborn child. You literally wiped out a family.”
Judge’s Remarks
Judge Biernat emphasized how avoidable the tragedy was, noting that Smith would have only received a ticket for the insurance violation if he had simply stopped.
“Going back to that night, you had no drugs in your car, you had no guns in your car,” Biernat said. “You didn’t even know the car had no insurance. You would’ve been pulled over and ticketed. That’s all. Instead, you literally wiped out a family.”
The judge also described the lasting impact on the surviving father, calling his paralysis “a fate worse than death.”
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Prosecutor’s Response
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said the verdict serves as a reminder of how quickly reckless choices can destroy lives.
“This young man’s decision to flee from a routine traffic stop has left an overwhelming loss,” Lucido said in a statement. “His actions shattered a family and eroded the community’s sense of security.”
What’s your take on this case—should fleeing police in such situations carry automatic maximum penalties? Share your opinion in the comments at ibwhsmag.com.
