Driver heads for prison in Westland boy’s death

A Romulus woman has been sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison for running over and killing a Westland boy after consuming drugs before getting behind the wheel.

Kimberly Garrett, 39, was sentenced Tuesday by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Mark Slavens. She had entered a no contest plea to a charge of second-degree murder and to driving under the influence causing death, which has a 10-15-year concurrent sentence.

Garrett had consumed heroin, Xanax, and cocaine before driving her vehicle off the street and striking Kayale Fruge, 8. The youngster was was struck June 20 by a Garrett’s vehicle which left the roadway on Darwin near Delton Court and came into the yard where he was standing. The youngster died after being hospitalized on life support for several days.

Never stopping after the accident, Garrett continued driving to her home. A witness to the accident followed Garrett to Romulus and called police who arrested her.

Garrett was aware that she was driving in violation of restrictions that stemmed from a March arrest for driving under the influence of drugs, according to police. Garrett had told police that she was in intensive outpatient treatment for narcotics use and had been clean but resumed using narcotics in March.

An autopsy report from the Wayne County Medical Examiner found that Kayale had died of blunt trauma.

An only child, Kayale had just completed second-grade at Thorne Intermediate Elementary School in Dearborn Heights. He lived with his mother Sequoia in the neighborhood where he was killed.

lrogers@hometownlife.com

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