Anne Vanker, the grieving mother of Flynn MacKrell, a teenager who tragically died in a high-speed car crash, is pushing for legal action against the mother of the driver, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague. Vanker contends that Puleo-Tague was aware of her son’s reckless driving habits.
Flynn’s friend, 17-year-old Kiernan Tague, lost control of his BMW X3 M, speeding at 105 mph in Grosse Pointe, resulting in a fatal accident that killed 18-year-old MacKrell.
While Tague faces second-degree murder charges for the incident, Vanker believes Puleo-Tague should also face charges. In the days leading up to the accident, Tague had been posting videos of himself driving over 140 mph, prompting his mother to message him to “slow the f— down.”
Dignity Memorial and Instagram
Puleo-Tague was reportedly tracking her son’s driving habits through the Life360 app and had been shown screenshots where he reached speeds of 123 mph. Despite this, she bought him a powerful BMW, leaving the keys at home while she was in Canada during the crash.
“She was sitting on a ticking time bomb. She knows he’s out of control, yet she basically gets him a weapon,” Vanker told the Detroit Free Press in a heart-wrenching analogy. “It’s like she handed him an AR-15.”
The MacKrell family has written to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, urging her to legally pursue charges against Puleo-Tague. They highlighted that she was aware of her son’s dangerous behavior but failed to take reasonable measures to prevent further risks.
Flynn’s father, Thad MacKrell, stated, “No more cars — it’s that simple.”
The request for charging Puleo-Tague is currently under review. Tague and Flynn had become friends on their street since 2017 and while he awaits trial, he could be sentenced as an adult for his actions, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for second-degree murder.
Vanker expressed her desire for Tague to face significant consequences, saying, “I want him in prison for as long as possible. Why should he get a break? This kid had every break and every privilege there is.”