Man charged in west side Detroit crash that killed his wife

Detroit — A Waterford Township man has been charged in connection with a Friday fatal car crash on the city's west side that killed his wife, officials said.

Michael Blakeman, 35, of Waterford Township, has been charged by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office with second-degree murder, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death, and reckless driving, causing death, they said.

A magistrate ordered him held on $1 million bond and scheduled a probable cause conference for March 8 and a preliminary examination for March 15.

Authorities accuse Blakeman of driving a vehicle south on Wyoming Avenue near Plymouth Road at about 5:30 p.m. Friday when he lost control of the car, left the roadway and struck utility poles before crashing into the rear of another vehicle.

Police arrived at the scene of the crash and transported Blakeman and his wife, Angelina Melnikova-Blakeman, 32, who was a passenger in his car, to two different hospitals. Doctors who were treating Melnikova-Blakeman pronounced her dead.

Investigators believe Blakeman was speeding when the crash happened. They also believe he was driving under the influence of drugs, the prosecutor's office said.

cramirez@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez