Thai woman faces federal charges for fleeing the United States after Michigan hit and run death

[webfact]

(Left) Michael Kable speaking with CBS News in Detroit about the untimely death of his 22-year-old son Benjamin Kable (inset centre), an engineering student, in a hit and run collision on January 1st last when a BMW 3 series car driven by 57-year-old Thai woman Tubtim ‘Sue’ Howson (inset bottom) hit him and failed to stop. Ms Tubtim was arrested last week in Chonburi by the Royal Thai Police and will be extradited to the United States.

 

by Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor

The reaction of the shocked Thai woman after hitting the young college student with her BMW car in dark conditions, on a quiet country road in Michigan, may end up landing her in more legal trouble than the fatal collision itself which even the victim’s father accepts was an accident. The FBI has learned that Ms Tubtim Howson was adamant she did not want to deal with the police concerning the incident and told a friend heatedly ‘no cops, no cops’ when advised to turn herself in.

A Thai woman who fled the scene of a fatal road accident in the early hours of January 1st this year in the US state of Michigan is understood to be facing more serious federal charges following her flight from the country four days after the accident in an apparent attempt to avoid accountability.

 

The 57-year-old woman was arrested last week by the Royal Thai Police in Chonburi and appeared at a press conference beside Deputy National Police Commissioner Surachate Hakparn who told reporters that she was now in contact with US officials and would be extradited. Earlier in the month, the father of the 22-year-old victim, an ER hospital physician, told US CBS News that he was shocked that the woman lacked the empathy to stop to aid his young son and wondered if he might have survived if brought to a hospital to receive treatment promptly.

 

A 57-year-old Thai woman who fled back to her home country after being involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident on January 1st in the US state of Michigan was arrested last week in Ratchaburi and will be extradited to the United States to face legal proceedings there.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/02/16/thai-woman-faces-us-charges-over-hit-and-run-tubtim-howson-sue/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-02-18

 

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[Smokey and the Bandit]

Sadly the Thai woman made a big mistake in fleeing the country? If she had called 911 and helped the poor guy, even if he had died, would have looked favorably in the eyes of the Judge/court?

Now when she gets back to the USA, she is potentially looking at serious jail time?

[VinnieK]

I put forward the theory that 99.9 % of the sheeple have no idea how to disappear for a few years.

She  returned to her hometown, probably her family home too..

Impossible to be found..????‍♂️????‍♂️

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The 57-year-old woman was arrested last week by the Royal Thai Police in Chonburi and appeared at a press conference beside Deputy National Police Commissioner Surachate Hakparn who told reporters that she was now in contact with US officials and would be extradited.

Good.

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I've personally witnessed two confirmed hit and runs in the last three years in Thailand so definitely more common in Thailand in my experience. Never seen one in Australia, UK or anywhere else I have lived or worked.

People or property.  I've seen a few hit & runs in USA, property, not people.  Although they do make the news there & here.  

 

Well, seems every little accident makes the 'news' here on AN ????

If I was to stump my toe, I'd expect an AN news van outside the house ????

[Genericnic]

1 hour ago, VinnieK said:

I put forward the theory that 99.9 % of the sheeple have no idea how to disappear for a few years.

She  returned to her hometown, probably her family home too..

Impossible to be found..????‍♂️????‍♂️

A few years would probably not be enough. Unlike Thailand, most U.S. jurisdictions have tolling statutes that stop the statute of limitations for serious offenses from expiring if a person removes themself from the jurisdiction. 

[Chongalulu]

43 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

59 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Thai style?? hit and run? Thainess of not helping people in need??

Far from Thai style, and worldwide.  A best friend of 58 yrs, was killed by a hit & run driver, and today still hasn't come forward or been arrested:

https://www.delcotimes.com/2014/03/11/2000-reward-offered-in-collingdale-hit-and-run/

 

The point is that it is far more commonplace (fleeing the scene)here than likes of UK / USA. Furthermore, the additional very serious charges from such irresponsible action in those countries help ensure the number of incidents is kept to a minimum (despite your own experience) and the authorities will vigorously pursue discovering the perpetrators identity and acting on it ,as this Thai woman is deservedly about to find out . She will now likely be on the end of a custodial sentence which may well not have been the case if it was a simple accident without aggravating features.

[gunner1]

unfortunately it is the Thai tradition to pull a runner when involved in any type of road accident! has been this way for fifty years that i have been in and around Thailand. during the Vietnam war, when a thai taxi was involved in an accident and had an American Passenger, the driver did a runner and the passenger became responsible for the victims hospital and "compensation" money!

 

[Aviatorhi]

Has and will... Take your "alternative facts" somewhere else. 

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/us-orders-mans-return-to-thailand-over-killing/Z6EHZ2PU3NZVGRZVNBJRJPO23Q/#:~:text=The landmark decision to send American James Muller,yet decided whether to appeal against the ruling.

 

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-thai-extradition-order-20150528-story.html

 

https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/20/asia/thailand-jet-set-monk-extradited/index.html

 

And others. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Rimmer
quote removed

[Toby1947]

Typical Thai cowardly behaviour probably no licence or even a driving lesson. Send her back to the U.S. lock the cowardly old bag up throws away the keys. My recommendation 595yrs. to life with no possibility of parole 

[Peabody]

Isn't she a US citizen?

 

[Robbkk]

Yes, it would lol

 

"A United States court has ruled the alleged mastermind behind the slaying of New Zealander Ian Travis in Bangkok a year ago should be extradited to Thailand"

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/us-orders-mans-return-to-thailand-over-killing/Z6EHZ2PU3NZVGRZVNBJRJPO23Q/

Edited February 18, 2023 by Rimmer
qutote of removed post removed

[Tarteso]

No cop, no cop !

What “A Big Joke” 

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

What a bummer to hit and run in a foreign country and no one in sight to offer bribes too.

Yes, the US justice system has never been shown, or known, to be corrupt.

[Liverpool Lou]

51 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

If I was to stump my toe, I'd expect an AN news van outside the house ????

You're safe, that's never going to happen, AN re-publishes other outlets news, not it's own!

[Chongalulu]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, the US justice system has never been shown, or known, to be corrupt.

Do you understand the concept of 'degree' ? 

If you offered a bribe to a roadside police officer here or in the USA which do you think is more likely going to end up with you being arrested? ????‍♂️ 
 

[Liverpool Lou]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/us-orders-mans-return-to-thailand-over-killing/Z6EHZ2PU3NZVGRZVNBJRJPO23Q/

Edited February 18, 2023 by Rimmer
qutote of removed post removed

[Liverpool Lou]

22 minutes ago, gunner1 said:

a thai taxi was involved in an accident and had an American Passenger, the driver did a runner and the passenger became responsible for the victims hospital and "compensation" money!

"...the passenger became responsible for the victims hospital and "compensation" money!"

Nonsense.

[Rimmer]

A couple of slurs have been removed

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, the US justice system has never been shown, or known, to be corrupt.

Do you understand the concept of 'degree' ? 

If you offered a bribe to a roadside police officer here or in the USA which do you think is more likely going to end up with you being arrested?

Do you understand the concept of "a little bit pregnant"?   Should we high five because the US may be less corrupt than Thailand?   The answer to your question doesn't alter the fact that all US systems are just as susceptible to corruption...and they are.

[HuaHinHim]

She did the wrong thing so she should be punished period. I just hope she is in custody and can’t run away and hide here in Thailand and I would say that about any low life that did the same regardless of who they are or where they come from. 

[Chongalulu]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Do you understand the concept of "a little bit pregnant"?   Should we high five because the US may be less corrupt than Thailand?   The answer to your question doesn't alter the fact that all US systems are just as susceptible to corruption...and they are.

The pregnancy correlation argument is specious- it’s binary. 
And no they aren’t as susceptible,otherwise there would be similar levels of corruption. Transparency.org will educate/inform you better of levels of corruption by country. I notice you pointedly didn’t answer my question about trying to bribe a roadside cop… telling…

[mikeymike100]

10 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Do you understand the concept of 'degree' ? 

If you offered a bribe to a roadside police officer here or in the USA which do you think is more likely going to end up with you being arrested? ????‍♂️ 
 

Quite so. There undoubtedly is corruption in the USA, but in your example its a slam dunk?????

[swm59nj]

She claimed after the incident happened.  She was in shock.  The shock wasn’t severe enough I guess to keep a straight mind to make plans to flee to Thailand 

[Liverpool Lou]

7 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

I notice you pointedly didn’t answer my question about trying to bribe a roadside cop… telling…

How could I answer something of which I have no experience?  You want a hearsay answer?  It's more telling that, presumably, you have experience of bribing police.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Puccini]

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Sadly the Thai woman made a big mistake in fleeing the country? If she had called 911 and helped the poor guy, even if he had died, would have looked favorably in the eyes of the Judge/court?

Now when she gets back to the USA, she is potentially looking at serious jail time?

Yes to all three questions.

[riclag]

She killed somebody, it was accidental. She’s gonna be held accountable!

Things like this happen on occasion and it usually gets sorted out! Its not the first time someone ran from a hit and run!

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by riclag

[Card]

You can take a Thai out of Thailand but not Thailand out of a Thai.

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Now when she gets back to the USA, she is potentially looking at serious jail time?

What she did is seen as one of the greatest evils in the US. It will very hard to find any sympathetic people for her.

[NorthernRyland]

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, the US justice system has never been shown, or known, to be corrupt.

can you provide a concrete example of the justice system being corrupt? Not disagreeing just curious what you're referring to exactly.