The Thai woman who fled to Thailand after being accused of hitting a Michigan State University student with her car and leaving him for dead has been extradited back to the U.S.
Tubtim “Sue” Howson, 57, was escorted by Thai authorities to the Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday night to fly back to Michigan, where FBI officers will be awaiting to take her into custody.
Howson, who has been working and living in Michigan with her family for more than 20 years, fled to Thailand on Jan. 3, two days after a deadly collision that killed Benjamin Kable.
Kable, 22, was walking home along Rochester Road in Oakland County at around 5:49 a.m. on Jan. 1 when Howson’s 2016 white BMW 320i allegedly struck him. The student was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tubtim stayed in Chonburi province after her arrival in Thailand on Jan. 5. She relocated to Ratchaburi province on Feb. 10 when news regarding the hit-and-run made global headlines.
When Thai authorities detained Howson last week, she claimed that she initially thought she hit a deer.
“I did not think I would run away, but I was very shocked,” she said. “I tried to call the police but my hands were shaking. I could not do anything.”
Howson cooperated with authorities and agreed to return to the U.S. to face the charges filed against her.
She currently faces several felonies, including interstate flight to avoid prosecution and failure to stop at a scene resulting in death.
