Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Driver Charged with Murder After Black Box Shows Vehicle Was Traveling 70 MPH

FARMINGTON HILLS — The driver of a 2005 GMC Yukon Denali who police say caused a four-car crash that killed a woman and her two sons was charged May 5 with three counts of second-degree murder, according to the Detroit News.

by Staff
May 10, 2005
2 min to read


FARMINGTON HILLS — The driver of a 2005 GMC Yukon Denali who police say caused a four-car crash that killed a woman and her two sons was charged May 5 with three counts of second-degree murder, according to the Detroit News. According to the newspaper, Thomas Wellinger, 48, of Farmington Hills was arraigned from his room at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where he is recovering from a broken neck. Not guilty pleas to the charges were entered for him, added the Detroit News. Police said a severely intoxicated Wellinger slammed his Yukon into a 1999 Honda driven by Judith Reiff Weinstein, 49, who was with her sons, Alex, 12, and Sam, 9. The three Weinsteins, legally stopped in a lane waiting to make a left turn, were killed when the crash sent their vehicle into the path of oncoming cars, police said. The charge against Wellinger was elevated to murder based on new evidence obtained from the Yukon's sensory diagnostic module — more commonly known as a black box — and analyzed by the Michigan State Police, reported the Detroit News. "The information is pretty telling," said Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer. "It shows the Yukon traveling at 70 miles per hour at the time of impact and at no point for five seconds prior to the crash was there any application of the brakes," he said in the newspaper article.

More Safety

A Fleet Forward Conference graphic representing the safety symposium.
Safetyby Chris BrownMay 29, 2026

NAFA Fleet Safety Symposium to Collocate With 2026 Fleet Forward Conference

The daylong certificate program will precede the Fleet Forward Conference at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland.

Read More →
A person with hands on the steering wheel driving
Safetyby Judie NuskeyMay 15, 2026

The Distractions You Can’t Turn Off: What Drivers Face Outside the Vehicle

Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.

Read More →
Hail covers the windshield and hood of a black vehicle with text overlay about FLASH Weather AI’s new hail prediction model.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseMay 13, 2026

FLASH Weather AI Launches First Deep-Learning Hail Prediction Model With High-Resolution Forecasting

FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Coca-Cola fleet executive smiling beside graphic text reading “Rolling Dollar Signs” about the company’s trucking and fleet strategy.
Safetyby Chris BrownMay 12, 2026

How Coca-Cola United Protects Its Fleet from Growing Legal Risk

As litigation risk rises, vehicles are increasingly targeted. This Coca-Cola bottler shares how it’s reducing exposure through driver training, technology, and a proactive risk management approach.

Read More →
Two trucking industry workers talk in front of semi-trucks beside text reading, “The issue isn’t lack of safety technology — it’s lack of alignment.”
SafetyMay 12, 2026

How to Speak the Same Language on Fleet Safety

Drivers, supervisors, and data often speak different safety “languages.” Getting on the same page will drive better results.

Read More →
pictures of a lock with the words Cybersecurity 101
Safetyby Jeanny RoaMay 11, 2026

Fleet Cybersecurity 101: What You Need from Your Technology Vendors

From identity management to third-party certifications, the right technology partner should make security easier to manage. Here are the three building blocks that fleet managers need to stay in control as connected systems scale.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Chris Brown sits across from safety experft at Lifesaver mobile in an interview about distracted driving and phone use tech.
Safetyby Chris BrownMay 1, 2026

Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel

Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.

Read More →
Safetyby Jeanny RoaApril 15, 2026

Distracted Driving in the Age of Smart Tech – Part 2

As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.

Read More →
Safetyby Jeanny RoaApril 11, 2026

 Data Rights, Risks, and Responsibilities After a Crash

What fleets capture to improve safety can also expose them in litigation, forcing leaders to rethink how data is managed, stored, and shared.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Driver holding a phone while steering, illustrating distracted driving and the importance of mental awareness and attention on the road for fleet safety.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyApril 10, 2026

From Distraction to Detection: Strengthening Awareness in Fleet Drivers

Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.

Read More →