The families of Cedric Hayden and DeJuan Pettis, who tragically lost their lives in a car crash involving a Warren Police vehicle early Monday morning, have retained the prominent Fieger Law firm to represent them.
The crash, which occurred around 5 a.m. at Schoenherr and Prospect, took the lives of bHayden, 34, and Pettis, 33, when their Dodge Durango was struck by a Warren Police car, according to officials.
According to Fieger Law, the police vehicle was traveling at a dangerously high rate of speed without overhead lights or sirens activated.
The firm says they secured video evidence confirming that the Warren Police car was moving at an illegal speed, which they say directly caused the deadly collision.
“We have assembled a team in place to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash with the sole focus of obtaining all the evidence to get justice for the families of Cedric and DeJuan,” the firm said in a statement. “We are confident that a lawsuit will be filed very soon and will report to the media once it has been filed.”
The two men were lifelong best friends, known and loved by many.
The Warren Police Department has issued a statement addressing the crash and the ongoing investigation. They confirmed that the officers involved in the crash were not engaged in a vehicle pursuit at the time of the collision.
Police say officers were seriously injured, with the officer in the passenger seat suffering critical injuries and undergoing extensive surgery.
The police also stated that an independent investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
While the investigation continues, the families of Hayden and Pettis, through Fieger Law, want to hold those responsible accountable for what they say was a preventable tragedy.