Surachet Hakpal, deputy national police chief, and Tubtim “Sue” Howson, 57, engage in a press conference on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at the police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. Benjamin Kable, 22, a student at Michigan State University, was allegedly struck by Howson just before dawn on January 1. On January 3, she took a one-way flight to Thailand, according to American authorities. (AP) Royal Thai Police
According to police, the Michigan-based Thai-American lady who is accused of killing a college student in a hit-and-run accident has agreed to return to the United States to face prosecution.
Benjamin Kable, 22, a student at Michigan State University, was allegedly struck by Tubtim “Sue” Howson, 57, just before dawn on January 1. According to American authorities, Howson left for Thailand on a one-way flight on January 3. In Michigan’s Oakland County, the mishap happened.
On February 2, a state charge of failing to stop at a serious accident was filed, and on February 6, a federal charge involving her leaving the country was filed.
Howson was there when Thai deputy national police commander Surachate Hakparn made the announcement that she intended to travel back to the United States to face charges. Plans were being made for her to board a flight before Sunday.
I departed for work between 5:30 and 6 a.m. Winter had just begun, and it was terribly gloomy. Howson recalled the incident and noted that, other from deer, nobody typically walked on the road there. When asked afterwards why she went to Thailand, she said that when she saw Kable’s body, she assumed he must be dead. She claimed that at first, she thought she had hit a deer.
“I didn’t anticipate running away, but I was astonished nonetheless. Although my hands were shaking, I attempted to call the police. I had no power to take action, she added.
She was originally from Thailand, and the FBI stated in a court document that after she was charged with a federal crime, she planned to return to Thailand because she believed she had killed someone.
According to FBI agent Matthew Schuff’s petition, Howson allegedly said, “No cops, no cops,” when urged to turn herself in to authorities.
Howson landed in Thailand on January 5, and according to police, they began tracking her on January 12 at the request of the FBI. On January 14, they said they found her in the western province of Ratchaburi, where they advised her to surrender herself in.
A suspect must go through a Thai court in order to contest an extradition request under the terms of the extradition treaty between Thailand and the United States, which can be a drawn-out procedure.
Howson, according to Surachate, has lived and worked in Michigan for more than 20 years with her two children and family.
“She wasn’t detained by us. She expressed a desire to accept the sentence in the United States once she was aware of the facts, he claimed. “Thai society will take note of this,”
