LOCAL 4 NEWS AT 11 STARTS NOW. TONIGHT ANOTHER CASE OF ALLEGED PUBLIC CORRUPTION IN MACOMB
COUNTY. THIS TIME IT’S IN FRASER
AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE MICHIGAN
STATE POLICE INVESTIGATION, THE
MACOMB COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S
OFFICE IS CHARGING A FORMER
DEPARTMENT HEAD AT THE CITY OF
FRASER WITH EMBEZZLEMENT. THANKS
FOR BEING WITH US, EVERYBODY.
I’M KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE
DEVIN SCILLIAN. LET’S GET
TOMORROW. MCDONALD OFF THE TOP
HERE AT 11 IN FRASER.
INVESTIGATORS MARA BELIEVE
THEY’VE BEEN TALKING. WE’RE
TALKING WELL OVER $100,000 HERE,
CORRECT. DEVIN THE SURE ARE AND
HERE’S THE THING. IT’S ALL ON A
CITY CREDIT CARD AND THE
ALLEGATIONS OF THIS THE RUMORS
OF MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS
THEY REALLY STARTED KICKING UP
BACK IN 2020. MICHELLE QUIT,
KOWSKI SERVED AS THE HEAD OF IT
FOR THE CITY OF FRASER FROM 2016
TO 2020, BUT HAD BEEN WITH THE
CITY FOR YEARS BEFORE THAT
DEPARTMENT HAD PROMOTION. WHEN
SHE LEFT IN 2020, THERE WERE
QUESTIONS ABOUT NUMEROUS CHARGES
TO THE CITY’S CREDIT CARD.
FRASER POLICE TURNED THE
INVESTIGATION OVER TO THE
MICHIGAN STATE POLICE. MSP
HANDED ITS FINDINGS OVER TO THEM
COMB COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE.
THE STATE POLICE DID A WONDERFUL
JOB. IN DOCUMENTING THOSE THINGS
THAT THEY HAD REGARDING THE
PURCHASES THAT WERE MADE. AND AS
SUCH, UM, ALTHOUGH PRESUMED
INNOCENT. UM THERE WAS A LOT OF
PURCHASES THAT DIDN’T GO TO THE
TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF FRASER
EASILY OVER $100,000. KOWSKI WAS
INSTRUMENTAL ALONG WITH TWO
OTHER FRASER EMPLOYEES IN
GETTING THEN MAYOR JOE NICHOLS
THROWN OUT OF OFFICE BACK IN
2017 ALLEGING SEXUAL HARASSMENT
. NICHOLS HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED
HE WENT TO THE FEDS BACK IN 16
ABOUT WITKOWSKI IS MONEY
MANAGEMENT. THE ALLEGED
EMBEZZLEMENT IS SAID TO HAVE
OCCURRED UNDER FORMER FRASER
CITY MANAGER WAYNE O. NEILL,
TONIGHT, THE FORMER MAYOR. THEY
ARE TELLING ME HE FEELS
PARTIALLY VINDICATED. QUOTE I
NOW UNDERSTAND WHY COUNSEL AND
STAFF WERE SO ADAMANTLY AGAINST
THE FORENSIC AUDIT SUGGESTED BY
MY FORMER COUNCILWOMAN AND
FRIENDLY THAT FOSTER WORD TO THE
WISE FORENSIC AUDIT AND AUDIT
THE DRUG FORFEITURE ACCOUNTS.
LUCIDO SAYS THE PAPER TRAIL IN
THIS CASE IS IMMENSE. I DON’T
CARE WHAT POSITION THEY’RE IN.
NOR OF WHAT LEADERSHIP ROLE THEY
PLAY. THEY ALL ARE GOING TO BE
TREATED THE SAME WAY FAIRLY.
OPENLY AND HONESTLY. BACK HERE
LIVE. THE MACOMB COUNTY
PROSECUTOR SAYS HE IS
UNINTERESTED IN A PLEA DEAL. IN
THIS CASE WHAT HE IS INTERESTED
IN RESTITUTION FOR FRASER
TAXPAYERS. WE’RE LIVE IN FRASER
TONIGHT. I’M MARA MACDONALD.
LOCAL 4 TAXPAYERS. WANT TO HEAR
THAT? NO DOUBT. ALL RIGHT, MARA
TONIGHT ON 18 YEAR OLD IS LOCKED
UP AFTER A PERSON MATCHING IN
ANN ARBOR, AND IT IS WHAT POLICE
FOUND ON HIM LATER. THAT HAS HIM
IN EVEN MORE TROUBLE. POLICE SAY
THE TEAM SNATCHED A WOMAN’S
PURSE IN DOWNTOWN AND HARBOR AND
USED YOUR CREDIT CARDS AT
SEVERAL PLACES. THIS IS OFFICERS
CAUGHT UP TO HIM ON A CITY BUS,
WHERE HE STILL HAD THE WOMAN’S
PURSE ON IT. THEY ALSO FOUND
THIS IN HIS BAG ON UNREGISTERED
HANDGUN WITH AN EXTENDED
MAGAZINE. POLICE ARRESTED HIM ON
THE BUS. HE IS NOW CHARGED WITH
A NUMBER OF FELONIES. NOON 11.
DETROIT POLICE LOOKING FOR A
PERSON OF INTEREST IN A TRIPLE
SHOOTING THAT LEFT ONE PERSON
DEAD. IT HAPPENED LAST TUESDAY
ON LOUDER STREET NEAR PLYMOUTHS
, NEAR PLYMOUTH, ON THE CITY’S
WEST SIDE, POLICE SAY 21 YEAR
OLD MAN WAS KILLED IN A 30 YEAR
OLD MAN IN 22 YEAR OLD WOMAN
WERE HURT. ALL THREE VICTIMS
WERE FOUND INSIDE A CAR. POLICE
SAY THE SUSPECT GOT AWAY IN A
BLACK DODGE CHARGER. IF YOU HAVE
ANY INFORMATION, CALL CRIME
STOPPERS AT NUMBERS. 1 800 SPEAK
UP. MEANWHILE A TEENAGER IS
RECOVERING TONIGHT AFTER A
SHOOTING IN DETROIT. IT HAPPENED
THIS AFTERNOON CANTON STREET
NEAR GRATIOT ON THE CITY’S EAST
SIDE. INVESTIGATORS SAID THE BOY
WAS SHOT BY SOMEONE INSIDE A CAR
OUTSIDE HIS HOME. IT IS EXPECTED
HE’S GOING TO SURVIVE IT, BUT
OFFICERS CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH
TONIGHT FOR THE SHOOTER. $1000
REWARD IS BEING OFFERED FOR TIPS
IN THE MURDER OF A BELOVED
DETROIT NEUROSURGEON, DR DAVON
HOOVER WAS SHOT AND FOUND
WRAPPED IN PLASTIC IN THE ATTIC
OF HIS HOME IN THE BOSTON EDISON
DISTRICT ON APRIL 23RD. FIVE
DAYS LATER, A PERSON OF INTEREST
WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. HE WAS
LATER RELEASED. ANYONE WITH
INFORMATION CAN ANONYMOUSLY
SUBMIT A TIP TO POLICE POSTED
THE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO
THAT, AND CLICKONDETROIT.COM
COUNTY MOTHER PLEADS NO CONTEST
IN HER ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER’S
OVERDOSE, PROSECUTORS SAY 32
YEAR OLD ANITA VAZQUEZ WAS
DRIVING IN ROSEVILLE LAST JULY
WHEN SHE FLAGGED DOWN POLICE
BECAUSE HER CHILD WAS HAVING A
MEDICAL EMERGENCY. IT WAS LATER
DETERMINED THE CHILDHOOD
INGESTED HEROIN FROM HIS
MOTHER’S PURSE AND THE CHILD.
THE CHILD DID SURVIVE THE
INCIDENT, BUT IT LED TO THESE
CHARGES VASQUEZ CHARGED WITH
DRUG AND CHILD ABUSE CHARGES AND
SENTENCING NOW SET FOR NEXT
MONTH. HAPPENING TOMORROW, THE
TWO PEOPLE CHARGED IN THE DEATH
OF A GREEK TOWN SECURITY GUARD
WILL FACE A JUDGE 33 YEAR OLD
TRAVIS IRVING FACES MURDER AND
WEAPONS CHARGES. 34 YEAR OLD
NICOLE CHRISTIAN IS CHARGED AS
AN ACCESSORY DARRYL SLOT AS
TROTTER WAS SHOT TO DEATH LAST
MONTH OUTSIDE ATHENS LIQUOR
STORE IN GREEKTOWN. PLEASE SAY
THE 48 YEAR OLD WAS TRYING TO
BREAK UP A FIGHT INVOLVING
SOMEONE CUTTING IN LINE WHEN HE
WAS SHOT. TOMORROW’S PRELIMINARY
EXAMPLE ASIDE IF THERE’S ENOUGH
EVIDENCE FOR A TRIAL BIG SHOW OF
SUPPORT TODAY IN DEARBORN
HEIGHTS FOR A STORY WE TOLD YOU
LAST NIGHT WAS GOING TO TAKE
SHAPE. DOZENS OF HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS WALKED OUT OF CLASS IN
PROTEST OVER THE SUSPENSION OF
THEIR PRINCIPAL ANNAPOLIS HIGH.
STUDENTS SAY THEY WALKED OUT
BECAUSE NO ONE IS EXPLAINING WHY
AARON MULLET WAS SUSPENDED. THE
SUSPENSION COMES AS STUDENTS ARE
DEALING WITH THE DEATH OF A
STUDENT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN MORE
RELEASED INFORMATION RELEASED ON
THAT CASE. BUT TODAY SOME
PARENTS WERE THERE TO JOIN IN
THE DOZENS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR
WALK OUT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME
BECAUSE MALAY BEEN WITH ME SINCE
EIGHTH GRADE FROM YOU FEEL ME.
AND HE’S BEEN NICE TO ME. HE
RESPECTED ME. HE CHILL WITH ME.
HE JUST COOL ALL AROUND. IF I
COULD ASK ANY QUESTION IT WOULD
BE WHY JUST PLEASE ANSWER US.
WHY BECAUSE WE WANT OUR
PRINCIPAL BACK. HE’S AMAZING,
AMAZING GUY AND THIS JUST BREAKS
MY HEART ADMINISTRATORS DID NOT
COME OUT TO SPEAK TO THE
STUDENTS DURING THE WALKOUT, BUT
THE DISTRICT SAYS IT DOES
RESPECT THEIR RIGHT TO PROTEST.
YEAH. WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO A
STORY WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU
SUNDAY NIGHT. A. T S. A AGENT IS
SUSPENDED AFTER A VIRAL VIDEO
CAPTURES HIM AGGRESSIVELY
PULLING A CANINE OFFICERS LEASH
. THE VIDEO FROM DETROIT METRO
AIRPORT WAS POSTED TO SOCIAL
MEDIA OVER THE WEEKEND. WE’RE
TOLD THE DOG WORKS WITH T S A
AGENTS AS PART OF ITS EXPLOSIVE
DETECTION TEAM USA SAYS THE
AGENT WILL REMAIN SUSPENDED
WHILE THE AGENCY DOES A FULL
INVESTIGATION, A MAJOR LOSS IN
COURT FOR FORMER PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP MANHATTAN FEDERAL
JURY FOUND THE FORMER PRESIDENT
SEXUALLY ABUSED E JEAN CARROLL
IN A DEPARTMENT STORE DRESSING
ROOM BACK IN THE 19 NINETIES AND
SUBSEQUENTLY THEN DEFAMED HER.
CAROL ALLEGED MR TRUMP’S
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER IN 1996
AND LATER THAN DEFAMED HER WHEN
HE DENIED HER CLAIMS THE JURY
FOUND HIS CONDUCT WAS SEXUAL
ABUSE AND THAT THAT WAS
SUFFICIENT TO HOLD HIM LIABLE
FOR HER CIVIL BATTERY CLAIM,
EVEN THOUGH THE JURY FOUND SHE
DID NOT PROVE THAT HIS ASSAULT
MET THE THRESHOLD OF A RAPE
CHARGE. THE JURY RECOMMENDING
DONALD TRUMP PAY CAROL $5
MILLION DONALD TRUMP’S ATTORNEY
IS SAYING THAT THEY WILL APPEAL
THE VERDICT. PRESIDENT BIDEN AND
TOP CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ARE
MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE
LOOKING FOR AN END TO THE
STALEMATE OVER RAISING THE
NATION’S DEBT CEILING TO AVOID
ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE. AND THAT
COULD COME AS SOON AS JUNE. 1ST
THE FIRST DISCUSSION OF
SUBSTANCE ON THE ISSUE IN MONTHS
BETWEEN PRESIDENT BIDEN, HOUSE
SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY AND BOTH
LEADERS ARE REFUSING TO BUDGE
ALICE BAR IN WASHINGTON WITH THE
DETAILS. SURE. HIGH STAKES HIGH
RISK SHOWDOWN TODAY AT THE WHITE
HOUSE AS POLITICAL HEAVYWEIGHTS
SQUARE OFF OVER THE DEBT CEILING
. I DIDN’T SEE ANY NEW MOVEMENT
, THE TOP FOUR CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERS EMERGING FROM AN HOUR
LONG WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT BIDEN, FAILING TO
BREAK A STALEMATE BUT PROMISING
TO MEET AGAIN ON FRIDAY. IN THE
MEANTIME, OUR STAFFS WE’RE GOING
TO MEET TODAY AND DAILY BETWEEN
NOW AND THEN. AND EVERYONE IN
THE MEDIA UNDERSTOOD THE RISK OF
DEFAULT DESPITE A CHASM BETWEEN
THE TWO SIDES, THE TOP
REPUBLICAN IN THE SENATE
DEFINITIVE THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO DEFAULT
. DEMOCRATS ANXIOUS TO MOVE
FORWARD, WE EXPLICITLY ASKED
SPEAKER MCCARTHY WOULD HE TAKE
DEFAULT OFF THE TABLE? HE
REFUSED. I’VE DONE EVERYTHING IN
MY POWER TO MAKE SURE IT WILL
NOT DEFAULT. REPUBLICANS ALREADY
PASSED A BILL THAT TACKLES THE
DEBT CEILING ALONGSIDE MASSIVE
SPENDING CUTS. PRESIDENT BIDEN
INSISTS ANY BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS
MUST BE SEPARATE BECAUSE FAILING
TO RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT MEANS
THAT AS EARLY AS JUNE 1ST, THE
NATION WOULD START RUNNING OUT
OF MONEY TO PAY ITS BILLS,
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE SOCIAL
SECURITY AND VETERANS BENEFITS.
THE TREASURY SECRETARY, CALLING
THAT HISTORIC DEFAULT SCENARIO.
RIO REALLY UNIQUE, A GNOMIC
CATASTROPHE, IT WOULD SEND
SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE STOCK
MARKET, AMERICANS SAVINGS AND
EVEN UNEMPLOYMENT, ADDING TO THE
TENSION, THE CONSEQUENCES FOR
BOTH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HOUSE
SPEAKER MCCARTHY. THE PRESIDENT
NEEDS A STRONG ECONOMY TO POWER
HIS REELECTION BID WHILE THE
SPEAKER IS AT RISK OF LOSING HIS
GAVEL IF HE CAN’T DELIVER ON THE
SPENDING CUTS CONSERVATIVES WANT
. THE DISCUSSIONS HERE TODAY,
MOST LIKELY AN OPENING BID AS WE
MOVE CLOSER TO THAT JUNE 1ST
DEADLINE SO OFTEN, THE
WASHINGTON WAY REQUIRES THE
CLIFF TO BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF
YOU BEFORE A SOLUTION APPEARS