Road rage crash kills 27-year-old who wasn’t involved, Michigan cops say. Two charged
A 27-year-old Michigan woman was killed in a crash, and now a pair of accused road rage drivers are charged with murder, news outlets report.
Sha-Tera Coleman, of Grand Rapids, was driving in Tallmadge Township when two other motorists, Ethan Oosterhouse, 23, and 42-year-old Denis Perez, collided with each other — and Coleman paid the price, WZZM reported.
It’s not clear what sparked the road rage incident between Oosterhouse and Perez, but investigators said both men were driving recklessly through traffic, until Oosterhouse’s Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed into Perez’s Dodge Charger at about 4:15 p.m. on June 25, the outlet reported. Perez lost control, veered into the opposite lane and crashed into Coleman, killing her, according to officials.
Perez and Oosterhouse survived the crash, WWMT reported. While Oosterhouse suffered minor injuries, Perez’s injuries were serious, and he was flown to a hospital for treatment, according to the station.
The men were arrested and charged nearly two months later, on Aug. 15, jail records show.
According to officials, both men are facing charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and reckless driving causing death, WWMT reported.
Oosterhouse has a history of dangerous behavior on the road and told police he is unable to stop himself from getting caught up in road rage incidents with other drivers, WOOD reported.
His driving record reflects this — showing that, since 2017, the 23-year-old has been in 11 crashes, has had nine passing or speeding convictions, and has twice been caught driving without proof of insurance, the outlet reported. Additionally, Oosterhouse has gone through two driver improvement courses since October.
Coleman “was joyful, outgoing, loving, and caring, constantly pushing others to be their best version,” an obituary read. She and her husband married in September and were raising a daughter together, the obituary read, adding that Coleman recently graduated with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Western Michigan University.
“My wife became my guardian angel,” her husband, Phillip Todd, said in a July 25 Facebook post. “It may not have been her intention, but she gave me instructions for the rest of my days.”
“Our union made us one, so when the Lord provides me with a path, I know her spirit will guide me,” he continued. “Her soul will keep my heart full, and her legacy will live forever.”
Tallmadge is a roughly 10-mile drive west from downtown Grand Rapids.
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