2 men charged with attempted murder after separate Detroit Metro Airport car crashes

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced on Monday attempted murder charges against both drivers involved in separate crashes into terminal buildings at Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus. 

Both incidents occurred earlier this year, one at each of the airport's two main terminals. 

Despite the two crashes happening within months of each other, there is no known connection at this time, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said.

"We were all surprised when the first one happened, and equally shocked when the second one happened," Worthy said.

Both incidents, she added, could have had far more serious consequences given the number of passengers and employees at the terminal entrances.

"We are grateful for the dedicated efforts of law enforcement agencies whose hard work led to the identification and arrest of the two individuals accused of driving vehicles into our airport terminals. These incidents posed a serious risk to the traveling public, airport employees and first responders," Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton said in his statement.

"I want to especially recognize the outstanding work of our Emergency and Support Services Division, whose professionalism, expertise and commitment to public safety were instrumental throughout the investigation. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration and dedication in the investigation."

Jan. 23, 2026, crash at McNamara Terminal 

A Mercedes-Benz sedan crashed into the McNamara Terminal building at about 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2026. The vehicle drove into the entrance near Delta Air Lines' check-in stations and struck a ticket counter. 

Six people were treated at the scene by firefighters, the Wayne County Airport Authority said at the time. Two of them were Delta employees, and one was a Transportation Security Administration employee. 

The driver, later identified as Brian Sutton, 37, of Clinton Township, was taken into custody and petitioned for medical evaluation. 

Sutton now faces three counts each of attempted murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felonious assault; along with one count of malicious destruction of a building, Worthy said. 

Sutton was arraigned Monday and given a $100,000 bond. A probable cause conference is set for Oct. 27, with a preliminary examination to follow on Nov. 5. 

Worthy said the investigation into this case took quite a bit of time as authorities wanted to access the vehicle's "black box" data. But with this vehicle being made out of the country, "we had a great deal of difficulty getting that information," she said.

Since the incident, the airport authority has looked into permanent barrier options, with temporary barriers quickly put in place.  

May 29, 2026, crash at Evans Terminal 

A Cadillac SUV crashed into the Evans Terminal building at about 9:37 a.m. on May 29, 2026. Police say the driver was traveling the wrong way down Rogell Drive when the vehicle went between the barricades outside the terminal and through the front door. 

The SUV stopped just before a security checkpoint at the terminal. 

One woman who was an incoming passenger was believed to have a minor injury afterward, but she refused treatment at the scene and got onto her flight. Authorities later learned that a second woman was also injured by flying glass. One of the victims was from Connecticut; the other was from Ontario, Canada. Worthy said it took quite a bit of time to track down the Canadian woman who is considered a victim in this crash.

The 67-year-old man who was driving appeared to be disoriented after the crash, authorities said at the time. He was taken to an area hospital after the incident. The driver told police he was there to "meet Tom Cruise and save his dad."

No firearms or weapons were found at the scene. 

David Chamlee, 67, of Southgate, has now been charged with two counts each of attempted murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and felonious assault, along with one count of malicious destruction of a building, Worthy said.

Chamlee was arraigned Monday and given a $100,000 bond. A probable cause conference is set for Oct. 27, with a preliminary examination to follow on Nov. 5.