Court Watching: Palacios-Sanchez bound over in deaths of 2 women in Sumpter

David Armando Palacios-Sanchez, 44, of Detroit waived his preliminary exam in 34th District Court on Aug. 9 so Chief Judge Brian A. Oakley bound him over for trial in Wayne County Circuit Court. His arraignment on the information was set for Aug. 16 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit. A calendar conference was set for Aug. 23.
Palacios-Sanchez has been held in the Wayne County Jail on $500,000 cash bond since he was captured and arraigned shortly after the incident.
He was charged with five counts concerning the death of one woman and serious injury of another in a hit and run on May 28 in Sumpter Township. On May 31 two more charges were added: a second count of failure to stop at a personal injury accident and possession of narcotic.
The preliminary exam scheduled for Aug. 9 was changed to a probable cause conference. Two of the charges were amended from “operating while intoxicated causing serious harm” and reckless driving causing serious injuries” to “causing death” on those two charges after the second woman died of her injuries.
At a June 14 hearing, at which a Spanish interpreter was required, defense attorney Raed Walid Mourad said the defendant has lived in Michigan for 15 years, been married to his wife for 23 years and has four children: a set of 3-year-old twins, a 14-year-old and one who is 19. He has worked in the construction business for the last 23 years, 20 years in one place and for the last three years for Brinker Construction in downtown Detroit. He sought reduction of bond.
The Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor on the case, Sara Bonomo, objected to any reduction in bond, since there were multiple eye witnesses to him revving his engine right before pulling out and hitting the victims and both have died. He admitted to drinking and using cocaine on the day of the incident and fled from the area, she said. Multiple police departments worked to find him, including a K-9 unit and a drone. She said he was a danger to the community and flight risk is high. Bond was not changed.