A devastated Michigan couple whose star-athlete son was killed in a high-speed car crash last year are seeking compensation from the driver’s mother after she allegedly failed to prevent her reckless son from driving despite being aware of his dangerous habit. The couple, who lost their 18-year-old son in the 100 mph crash, believe that the boy’s mother should be held responsible for her part in the tragedy.
The incident occurred on November 17 when Kiernan Tague, then 16 years old, picked up his friend and neighbor Flynn MacKrell from his parents’ home in Grosse Pointe, a suburb of Detroit. Within just five minutes of picking up MacKrell in a BMW X3 M series, Tague lost control of the vehicle while traveling at 105 mph in a 25-mph zone and crashed into a post and then a tree, splitting the car in two. MacKrell, a standout freshman swimmer at the University of Dayton, died on impact.
Tague survived the crash but was charged with second-degree murder in March and is currently awaiting trial in Wayne County. Investigators have since discovered text messages that show Tague’s mother, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, was aware of her son’s reckless driving habits, even calling him out for speeding on September 14 after the GPS tracking app Life360 alerted her that he was traveling at 123 mph in the family’s Audi coupe. Despite knowing about her son’s dangerous behavior behind the wheel, Puleo-Tague went ahead and bought herself a brand-new BMW, which she gave her son access to despite its ability to reach speeds of 177 mph.
MacKrell’s parents are now seeking to use these messages as evidence against Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, arguing that she failed to take reasonable actions to prevent her child from driving despite knowing how reckless he was behind the wheel. She was sitting on a ticking time bomb,” said Anne Vanker, MacKrell’s mother. She knows he’s out of control, and yet she does nothing.
The case bears some similarities to the 2021 Oxford High School mass shooting in which Ethan Crumbley killed four students. The gunman’s parents were convicted for their role in failing to prevent their teenage son from possessing a gun, and they are currently serving prison sentences.
Currently, no charges have been filed against Elizabeth Puleo-Tague. Tague, who faces second-degree murder charges for the death of his friend, is not being charged as an adult but instead as an “adult designated,” meaning if he is convicted, the judge could sentence him as an adult or a juvenile or impose a blended sentence.
MacKrell’s parents believe that Tague should be held accountable for his actions and are seeking justice for their son’s untimely death. I want him in prison for as long as possible,” said Vanker. Why should he get a break? This kid had every break and every privilege there is.
