OWI charge in year-old fatal crash

HOWARD CITY, Mich. (WOOD) - A Howard City woman now faces two felonies and a misdemeanor in a multi-vehicle crash that left one man dead in February 2012.

Nicole Diana Stapleton, 31, has been charged with felony operating while intoxicated causing death, felony reckless driving causing death and misdemeanor failure to stop at the scene of a personal injury accident, court records show.

On the morning of Feb. 26, 2012, Stapleton's vehicle allegedly rear-ended a Volkswagen near Federal Road and Kendaville Road, south of Howard City.

She didn't stop her vehicle, authorities said at the time, and 1.5 miles later on Ensley Street rear-ended an SUV driven by John Reniff of Gladstone, pushing the SUV into a minivan.

Stapleton, who was not wearing a seat belt, continued north until her pickup truck hit a tree, narrowly missing an ice cream parlor.

Reniff, 31, was airlifted to a hospital and later died from his injuries.

His passenger, Melissa Ballard, and the driver of the minivan, Julie Osbourne, were taken by ambulance to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. Both were wearing seat belts. Neither were seriously injured.

At the time, authorities said they suspected drug use was a factor in the crash. But toxicology tests had to be run by the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Lansing, and the average turnaround time on those tests is 11 months.

Recently finished results showed Stapleton had drugs in her system at the time of the crash.

A warrant for Stapleton's arrest was issued Jan. 3.

If convicted of all three charges, Stapleton could spend up to 31 years behind bars.