Mark Wahlberg
Actor Mark Wahlberg makes a pledge on behalf of MSU student Mitchel Kiefer.
Actor Mark Wahlberg, who owns a Wahlburgers hamburger joint in Detroit's Greektown, made a public service video on behalf of his friend, whose son, a Michigan State University student, died in a car crash on I-96 on Sept. 19, 2016 as a result of a distracted driver.
Noting that April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Wahlberg said in a Facebook video posted Tuesday:
"I don't want to lose one more person to this preventable killer. I pledge to put my phone down and #justdrive. And I am asking all of you watching this video to do the same. Please don't text and drive.".
Mitchel Kiefer, 18, of Novi was killed by a distracted driver on I-96 in the Lansing area while returning to his dorm at Michigan State University. His father, Steve Kiefer, a General Motors executive, subsequently founded the Kiefer Foundation to address distracted driving and to make highways safer.
Last year, Kelley Lange, 21, of Kalamazoo, pleaded guilty in the case to one count of a moving violation, causing death and was sentenced to two years probation and community service for each month of her probation. She was also fined nearly $1,200.
