An Oakland County marketing executive tells how a weekday drive in Bloomfield Township became a midday drama on Maple Road -- caused by a local teacher accused of hit-run charges, police say.
"He crushed my car -- it's totaled," says Tom Versosky, who was westbound on Maple between Birmingham and West Bloomfield, where he lives. He contacted Deadline because "I just want people to know how ridiculous it was that the guy drove off."
Tom Versosky: "I would be upset if I had a child he were teaching." (LinkedIn photo)
While at the corner of Maple and Franklin Road on March 26 behind a landscaping truck awaiting a chance to turn left, Versosky saw something alarming in his rear-view mirror: The driver of an approaching Chevrolet Silverado was looking down and not slowing.
After the impact, which knocked Verosky's Ford Edge into three other cars, he says the SIlverado driver backed onto a lawn, veered around the pileup and "races off into oncoming traffic." No one was injured.
Police, called by a homeowner, soon found the damaged Silverado on a side street nearby. About four hours later, they arrested Michael Boyd, a 29-year-old baseball coach at Bloomfield Hills High and gym teacher at three district middle schools. Five hours after the impact, his blood alcohol level was found to be above the legal limit for driving -- though he's not charged with that offense.
"I know kids that he's a [gym] teacher of," Verosky, 38, said in a Tuesday morning call from San Francisco during a business trip. The families "were sad to hear that's the guy."
The accident was on westbound Maple at Franklin. The suspect's vehicle was found on Indianwood Trail (marked).
The sales executive adds: "The idea that he was drinking at noon while [apparently] driving between middle schools is scary. I would be upset if I had a child he were teaching. I wouldn't want him in that position."
Boyd was placed on leave a day after the crash.
In another new development, The Oakland Press reports that the accused athletic department faculty member has a drunken driving offense on his record. Paul Kampe writes:
Boyd . . . was convicted of operating while intoxicated following a March 2013 incident in Berkley, according to a representative from the Michigan Secretary of State.
Boyd was subjected to a restricted license for three months after the incident and paid fines for the four-point offense.
Original article, April 11:
The job status of a 29-year-old baseball coach at Bloomfield Hills High is in limbo as he awaits a pre-trial hearing on three charges related to a midday accident in his Silverado truck, reports news editor Lisa Brody of Downtown Birmingham/Bloomfield magazine.
Michael Boyd of Madison Heights, a varsity coach in the district since 2010, was arrested March 26 in Bloomfield Township and arraigned this past week in 48th District Court, the suburban journalist writes. He's accused of leaving an injury accident scene, failing to report an accident and failing to stop in an assured clear distance.
"Michael [Boyd] retrieved a pint of Crown Royal from his vehicle and began walking away from the vehicle," his Bloomfield Township arrest report says.
A homeowner near Maple and Franklin roads called around 12:15 p.m. that Thursday after seeing "a black Silverado truck with a great deal of front end damage park in front of her house," Downtown reports.
Police arrested Boyd, walking about one-half mile from his truck, less than four hours later. Brody picks up the narrative:
According to the police report, "Michael was wearing a black track suit with white stripes. His hands were covered in dirt and his clothes were covered in dirt and brush. While speaking to Michael, I detected a strong odor of intoxicants. . . Michael stated he is a middle school physical education teacher. He travels between several schools throughout the day. . . . Michael was driving in the area of Maple and Telegraph when he began feeling ill. . . . Michael retrieved a pint of Crown Royal from his vehicle and began walking away from the vehicle."
According to the police report, at 5:15 p.m. Boyd consented to a preliminary breath test, which registered a .123 percent blood alcohol content (BAC). In Michigan, the legal limit is .08 BAC if a person is driving a vehicle.
He's not charged with drunk driving, apparently because no officer saw him at his banged-up Silverado.
A district representative and Superintendent Rob Glass wouldn't say whether Boyd, due back in court May 5, is on paid or unpaid leave.
The suburban educator, evidently in the midst of a work day when he hit something, taught gym classes at West Hills, East Hills and Bloomfield Hills Middle Schools.
