Hamburg man charged in death of 2 after car strikes scooter

Detroit — A 33-year-old Hamburg man has been charged in connection with a crash last month that claimed the lives of two Detroit residents, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Thursday.

Mitchell J. Dukes, is accused of driving while intoxicated and going the wrong way when he crashed into Nakia Marie Payton, 39 and Daniel Damon Mixon, 49, who were riding on a motor scooter.

The crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. July 31 on I-96 and Wyoming. Mixon was driving the scooter and Payton was the backseat passenger. Michigan State Police and medics were dispatched to the scene of the crash where Payton was pronounced dead at the scene. Mixon was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.  Dukes was taken into custody at the scene by Michigan State troopers.

A warrant request was submitted Aug. 2 to the Wayne county Prosecutor’s Office but was returned to the Michigan State Police seeking further investigation. The prosecutor's office said the warrant request lacked "critical evidence" needed to make a charging decision at the time.

The warrant request was recently received a second time and charges were  filed. Dukes was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of operating under the influence causing death.   

Dukes was arrested Thursday and is expected to be arraigned Friday in 36th District Court. 

Worthy said of the case: "I feel like a broken record when I say that crimes involving speeding cars, wrong way drivers, drag racing, drunken driving, and an outright disregard for the rules of the road are 60% higher than they were pre-pandemic."

"Yet again, the lives of cherished community members have been lost forever," she said. "The charges today are no consolation for their friends and loved ones, but we will fight to ensure that justice is done."