On November 17, 2023, police in Grosse Pointe responded to a devastating single-car accident. Behind the wheel was 16-year-old Kiernan Tague, found belted in the driver’s seat. In the passenger seat was 18-year-old Flynn MacKrell, unresponsive. Prosecutors said Tague had been driving nearly 100 mph in a 25-mph residential zone when he slammed into a telephone pole.
Initially charged with second-degree murder, Tague later pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a motor vehicle. Given his age at the time of the crash, he received a “blended sentence”—which allowed him to avoid adult prison and instead be placed in a Level Two juvenile probation facility, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy slammed the teen’s behavior, stating, “The evidence shows the defendant was driving in a residential neighborhood at freeway speeds. Speed kills. This death was entirely preventable.”
But for Flynn’s mother, Anne Vanker, the sentence was a gut punch.
“Instead of being held accountable, Kiernan Tague was once again shielded from facing the full consequences of his violent and criminal actions,” Vanker wrote in a powerful Facebook post. “This is not justice.”
Vanker noted that two pre-sentencing reports recommended adult sentencing and detailed Tague’s extensive history of reckless behavior — including 20 police incidents since 2018, mostly sparked by his mother’s 911 calls over his violent outbursts.
According to records cited in Detroit Free Press, Tague’s Life360 driving data showed a chilling pattern. In just the 17 days leading up to the fatal crash, he made 94 trips — nearly half of them at speeds over 90 mph, with some exceeding 153 mph.
Still, the court opted for leniency, citing his age.
Vanker also read a victim impact statement in court, remembering her son as “a cherished child of God” who had just begun his college journey at the University of Dayton.
“My son, my Flynn, was my life, my heart,” she said. “No words can capture the silence, the rage, and the sorrow that fill every corner of my world.”
She accused Tague of showing no remorse and described his behavior as “escalating” and “willfully destructive.”
During sentencing, Tague finally spoke, calling Flynn his best friend and expressing grief.
“My heart is profoundly heavy with grief, regret, and remorse,” he said. “What pains me most is knowing any pain I’ve experienced is nothing compared to what Flynn’s family feels.”
Despite his words, Anne Vanker says the damage is done — and justice remains elusive.
“We will never stop fighting for Flynn,” she vowed. “And we will continue advocating for stronger laws and real accountability.”
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