Court Watching: Parents face charges after child hit, killed on Harris Road in 2015

Larissa Lydia Gagnon, 30, and co-defendant Chad Ryan Vanover, 27, are each facing two criminal charges after their child was hit and killed by a vehicle on the roadway of Harris Road in 2015.
On Dec. 1, 2016, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office signed identical felony charges against the two: homicide / involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse.
If convicted of the manslaughter charge, each could get 15 years in prison and/or a fine of $7,500. The second-degree child abuse charge stems from a reckless act that causes serious harm to a child. Conviction of that charge brings a penalty of not more than 10 years for the first offense.
Gagnon was in 34th District Court before Judge Brian A. Oakley on Jan. 25 for her probable cause conference with her court-appointed defense attorney David Langford. She is free on $20,000 personal recognizance bond.
Co-defendant Vanover is not due for his probable cause hearing until Feb. 22 and his preliminary exam is on March 1, so Judge Oakley adjourned Gagnon’s Feb. 1 preliminary exam to match her co-defendant’s schedule, since they will face charges together.
Judge Oakley said any further adjournment (postponement) on March 1 “is not real likely.”
Their child, a 19-month, male toddler, was struck and gravely injured by a vehicle in the 40000 block of Harris Road just before 5:25 p.m., Aug. 31, 2015.
The child was treated by a Sumpter Township Fire Department team before being transported to a nearby hospital by Huron Valley Ambulance. Despite the life-saving efforts, the child succumbed to his injuries.
The vehicle driver, a 59-year-old Sumpter Township resident, stopped immediately and cooperated fully in the investigation.
Sumpter Police Detective/Sergeant John Toth is the officer in charge of the case.
Amy Jo Plots
Amy Jo Plots, 49, waived her preliminary exam on charges of operating while intoxicated-3rd and driving while license suspended on March 21 in the city of Belleville. Judge Oakley bound her over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on Feb. 8. She is represented by retained attorney Murray Duncan and she is free after posting her $1,000/10% bond. Officer in charge of the case is Belleville Officer Jeff Wickham.
Eddie Al Dusseau
Eddie Al Dusseau, 50, is charged with possession of less than 25 grams of narcotic or cocaine and possession of marijuana in the city of Belleville on Nov. 17, 2014. He is labeled a habitual offender.
His retained attorney Michael Vincent asked Judge Oakley to delay the scheduled Feb. 1 preliminary exam until Feb. 15 so he could get the video from the Belleville Police Department and Judge Oakley agreed.
Dusseau is free on $20,000/personal recognizance bond. Officer in charge of the case is Belleville Cpl. Kris Faull.
Timothy Komendera
On Jan. 18, 34th District Court Judge David Parrott bound over Timothy Komendera, 50, of Detroit to circuit court for a Jan. 25 arraignment on the information. His disposition conference was then set for Feb. 2 before Judge Richard M. Skutt.
Komendera is charged with larceny of $20,000 or more, receiving and concealing stolen property of $20,000 or more and fleeing police in a vehicle on Jan. 7 in Van Buren Township.
A utility trailer was stolen from a storage lot at Haggerty and Van Born and the pursuit included I-275 and I-94 until the red pickup crashed into a cement wall before the driver bailed out and ran into the woods. Komendera was apprehended at the scene.
He is lodged in the Wayne County Jail on bond of $50,000/10% and is represented by court-appointed attorney Jeremy Erskine Henner. Officer in charge of the case is VBT Det. Ken Toney.
Joshua Javonie-Henry King
Joshua Javonie-Henry King, 17, waived his preliminary exam before 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green on Jan. 11 and she bound him over to circuit court for a Jan. 18 arraignment on the information. A disposition conference has since been set for Feb. 7 before Judge Deborah A. Thomas.
He is charged with receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle and assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer on Dec. 30 in Van Buren Township. He was lodged on $3,000/10% bond and unable to post that. Judge Green reduced bond to $10,000 personal recognizance.
He also is set for a probation hearing in circuit court on Feb. 2 in another case.
King’s court-appointed defense attorney is David Langford and officer in charge of the case is VBT Det. Mark Buxton.
Susan Renee Bozzi
Susan Renee Bozzi, 55, waived her preliminary exam before Judge Green and was bound over to circuit court for a Jan. 25 arraignment on the information. She was charged with operating while intoxicated-3rd on Sept. 22, 2015 in VBT.
But, at her arraignment on the information at circuit court, she plead guilty to operating under the influence of liquor/per se/operating while intoxicated 3rd offence notice, a felony. The operating while intoxicated charge was dismissed.
She will be sentenced on Feb. 16 by Judge James Chylinski.
Bozzi is free on $3,000 personal recognizance bond and her court-appointed attorney is Jeffrey Perlman. VBT Det. Donovan McCarthy is the officer in charge of the case.
Matthew Christopher Farrow
Matthew Christopher Farrow, 25, waived his preliminary exam before Judge Green and was bound over to circuit court for a Jan. 25 arraignment on the information. His disposition conference was set for Feb. 3 before Judge Dana Margaret Hathaway.
Farrow is charged with breaking and entering a building and two counts of malicious destruction of property in VBT on Dec. 24. He is free after posting $3,500/10% bond. Farrow’s retained attorney is Joseph Lavigne and VBT Sgt. Jeff Gueli is the officer in charge of the case.