A Fenton man facing 19 felony counts connected to a fatal car crash that left five people dead is headed to trial.

21-year-old Matthew Jordan Carrier was bound over to Livingston County Circuit Court for trial, following a hearing earlier today. Carrier is charged in the May 9th incident that occurred at the intersection of Argentine Road and M-59 in Oceola Township. Authorities say Carrier had a BAC of .15 and was driving over 100mph southbound on Argentine Road. Carrier failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection and hit a Cadillac that was traveling eastbound on M-59.

Two people in the Subaru Carrier was driving, 18-year-old Justin Henderson and 24-year-old Preston Wetzel, were killed. A third passenger, 23-year-old Kyle Lixie, was seriously injured. The Cadillac that was hit was driven by 39-year-old Albert Boswell, who survived but was seriously injured. The passengers in that vehicle, Boswell’s girlfriend Candice Dunn, her mother Linda Hurley, and Hurley’s boyfriend, Jerome Tortomasi, were all killed.

At today’s hearing, testimony was offered by a number of people connected to the incident to determine if there was enough evidence to send the case to trial. Boswell testified, along with several first responders and an individual who saw the crash happen.

Hartland Township Resident Edward Beatty ran to help after witnessing the impact and pulled Carrier from the Subaru just before it exploded. Beatty says as he asked Carrier questions and offered words of comfort, he noticed the smell of alcohol on Carrier’s breath.

Michigan State Police Trooper Christopher McIntosh, who interviewed Carrier on May 15th, testified as well. McIntosh says Carrier admitted he and his friends had been drinking at a bonfire prior to the crash, but that his friends were either too drunk to operate a vehicle or didn’t know how to drive the Subaru because it was a stick shift. McIntosh says Carrier told him he “felt he was doing the right thing” by driving, despite also being under the influence and having a suspended license as the result of a previous conviction for operating while impaired by liquor.


Following testimony, Judge Suzanne Geddis said Carrier’s actions prior to the crash were an obvious disregard of the possible consequences and gave proof to malicious intent. She bound Carrier over for trial on all 19 counts and he waived his Circuit Court arraignment. Future court dates were not immediately set. (DK)