Woman wanted for alleged hit-and-run of student, 22, flees to Thailand

A Michigan woman being hunted down after a college student died during a New Year’s Eve hit-and-run has fled to Thailand to avoid prosecution. Federal authorities allege that Tubtim ‘Sue’ Howson (pictured left), a mother-of-two, ran away to her home country just days after the fatal crash to avoid prosecution for 22-year-old Ben Kable’s (pictured right) death. Travel records show that Howson, who is originally from Thailand but is a U.S. citizen, purchased a one-way ticket from the Detroit Metro Airport to the Asian country with a layover in Dallas-Fort Worth. She allegedly left for the country just two days after purchasing the ticket and landed on January 5.

A felony warrant had already been issued for Howson’s alleged failure to stop at the scene, resulting in serious impairment or death, but the FBI now says there is probable cause to charge her with felony interstate flight to avoid prosecution as well. Oakland County authorities have said that Kable, a senior at Michigan State University, was walking home from a New Year’s party on January 1 at around 6am.

His father later explained to the Detroit News that Kable was kicked out of an Uber for unknown reasons on Rochester Road, where he was struck. ‘When she kicked him out, it was on Rochester Road, a very bad spot,’ Michael Kable said. ‘There’s no streetlights, there’s no sidewalk, you know, very minimal of any shoulder. He actually texted his friends that she was kicking him out, “Looks like I’m walking from here.”‘ 

Witnesses on the scene said she stopped for a short time before fleeing the scene. Sheriff’s deputies were later able to determine the vehicle — fragments of which were scattered across the scene — was registered to Howson, who they say was traveling to Birmingham to work at the time. A newly-unsealed FBI complaint says Howson ‘allegedly told a close associate after the crash that she thought she killed somebody and was going back to Thailand. When encouraged to turn herself into police, Howson allegedly stated, “no cops, no cops.”‘

It remains unclear whether the federal government will seek extradition, but Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard called for an extradition ‘so we can hold her accountable for her actions involving this young man’s tragic death.’ Pictured: Howson in 2011. 

Following the news, Michael said he doesn’t ‘understand how you can live with yourself.’ ‘Just the lack of empathy and humanity it would take, and then just plot your getaway,’ he told FOX 2. ‘All we can do is cross our fingers that we get some justice. He noted to the Detroit News that, ‘At this point, it’s probably in the hands of federal authorities, primarily. It is hard to fathom how somebody can leave someone dying on the road,’ the grieving father continued. ‘Just no empathy… I don’t understand it.’

Ben (pictured left) was the youngest of six children, and Michael said they have all been having trouble coming to grips with what happened. A GoFundMe has since been set up to help the family seek justice. It describes Ben as a senior in college who was studying electrical engineering. ‘Benjamin loved hunting, fishing, playing video games and spending time with his friends and family,’ it reads.

‘He was a gentle soul who you could always rely on and was always there if you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to. If you ever needed a good laugh, Benjamin was the person you would turn to.’ The online fundraiser has netted over $9,000 for the family as of early Thursday morning. Meanwhile, when asked for comment by FOX 2, Howson’s husband, Steven, said it was ‘not my fault, I wasn’t even in the country.’ He added: ‘Two families have lost somebody here.’ 

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