4 Michigan teens take plea deal for fatal rock-throwing on I-75

Caroline Blackmon | Detroit Free Press

Four of the five teenagers who were charged in the fatal rock-throwing death on I-75 in October 2017 have taken a plea deal, according to a news report.

WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) is reporting that the charges were reduced from second-degree murder to manslaughter for Mark Sekelsky, Mikadyn Payne, Alexzander Miller and Trevor Gray, who ranged in age from 15 to 17 at the time of the crime.

The fifth teen, Kyle Anger, 18, did not show up in court on Monday due to a family emergency, WXYZ said. Anger is accused by Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton of throwing the rock that hit the van, the Free Press reported in October. He is still charged with second-degree murder.

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The teenagers initially entered not guilty pleas six days after Kenneth White, 32, was killed by a 6-pound rock thrown from a freeway overpass.

White was a passenger in the van that was hit. The rock crashed through the windshield, fractured White's skull and caused other injuries. He died of blunt force trauma at Hurley Medical Center in Flint.

Police said at least 20 rocks, ranging in weight from one pound to 20 pounds, were found around that time on I-75 in Vienna Township, 80 miles north of Detroit. Other cars were damaged by thrown rocks.

White’s father, Kenny White, told the Free Press at the time that no amount of punishment was enough for the teens.

“Even if they spend 30 years in prison, they get to wake up every single day," White said. "They still get phone calls from their parents. They still get visitors. My son don’t get none of that no more.”

The teens allegedly were playing a prank they called “dinging," which is the sound the rocks make when they hit the cars traveling below, according to WXYZ.

“It is not a prank. It is second-degree murder," Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell said at the time.