114 MPH, No Lights, No Sirens: Warren Officer's Partner Defends Actions in Double-Fatal Crash Trial

Frank A. Fiorello | June 5, 2026

Editor’s Note: This story is a follow-up to our previous report, Ex-Warren Officer Faces Manslaughter Charges As Trial Opens In Schoenherr Road Fatal Collision

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MT. CLEMENS, Mich. (DRCN)— A Warren police officer testified Wednesday that he would ride with former Officer James Burke "today" despite a catastrophic high-speed crash that killed two men and left him hospitalized with devastating injuries.

The testimony came during the second day of Burke's felony trial in Macomb County Circuit Court, where prosecutors argue the former officer's decision to drive more than 100 miles per hour without activating emergency lights or sirens crossed the line from policing into criminal recklessness.

Burke faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter, along with misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty and a moving violation causing serious impairment of a body function. The charges stem from a September 30, 2024 collision that claimed the lives of Cedric Hayden Jr., 34, and DeJuan Pettis, 33. If convicted, Burke could face up to 15 years behind bars.

At the center of Wednesday's testimony was Warren Police Officer Michael Rodolfo, Burke's former partner and the passenger inside the department SUV when it slammed into the victims' Dodge Durango.

Rodolfo told jurors the patrol vehicle reached speeds of 114 mph as officers attempted to locate a stolen Jeep that had been detected by a street-level Flock license plate reader system.

Investigators believed the Jeep was connected to a string of recent crimes, including an armed robbery at a Home Depot and multiple ATM burglaries.

As jurors watched dash camera footage from the patrol vehicle, Rodolfo confirmed that Burke never activated the SUV's emergency lights or siren.

According to Rodolfo, that decision was intentional.

He testified that officers routinely avoided activating emergency equipment when attempting to locate suspects because doing so could alert them and trigger an escape attempt.

Defense attorney Marc Curtis repeatedly questioned Rodolfo about department procedures and whether Burke had violated policy that day.

Rodolfo's answer remained consistent.

No.

Under cross-examination, Rodolfo testified that he believed Burke acted within departmental guidelines and stated he trusted Burke's driving enough that he would ride with him again today.

The testimony also revealed the pressure officers face when tracking suspects near Detroit's border.

Rodolfo explained that Warren officers operate under restrictions that generally prohibit them from initiating traffic stops or vehicle pursuits south of Eight Mile Road inside Detroit city limits. According to his testimony, that policy creates urgency among officers attempting to intercept suspect vehicles before they cross the jurisdictional boundary.

For prosecutors, however, the issue is not whether officers were searching for a suspect vehicle. The issue is how they did it.

Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Cory Newman argued that police authority does not exempt officers from the consequences of dangerous driving.

"A badge does not authorize gross negligence and recklessness," Newman told jurors.

The prosecution contends that driving at triple-digit speeds on a public roadway without emergency warning devices directly contributed to the fatal collision.

The defense has taken a sharply different position.

Curtis argued that responsibility rests with Hayden, who was driving the Dodge Durango when it turned into Burke's path. According to the defense, Hayden made a sudden left turn without signaling, leaving Burke with no reasonable opportunity to avoid impact.

The defense further highlighted evidence presented through forensic pathologist Dr. Cynthia Beisser, who testified that toxicology reports showed Hayden's blood-alcohol concentration was 0.198 percent at the time of the crash—more than twice Michigan's legal limit. Jurors also heard testimony that Hayden was driving with a suspended license.

The emotional aftermath of the collision was described by Warren Police Lieutenant Timothy Kulhanek, one of the officers who arrived at the crash scene.

Kulhanek testified that Burke appeared overwhelmed and disoriented in the immediate aftermath of the collision, describing him as being in a state of "shell shock." According to the lieutenant, Burke's eyes appeared glazed over and he struggled to comprehend what had just occurred.

The criminal trial is unfolding alongside a separate civil battle. The families of Hayden and Pettis have filed a $100 million lawsuit against the City of Warren and the officers involved, alleging negligence surrounding the crash.

Meanwhile, the jury in Judge Jennifer Faunce's courtroom faces a narrower but no less consequential question:

When police race through city streets at more than 100 miles per hour without lights or sirens, where does law enforcement end and criminal liability begin?

That question will continue to dominate the courtroom as dozens more witnesses are expected to testify over the next week.

Let's Be Frank

One of the responsibilities of journalism is to question authority. Not because authority is inherently wrong, but because accountability is essential in a free society.

I'll be honest: I often feel law enforcement is treated unfairly in today's world. There seems to be a growing disregard for the men and women who put on a badge every day and stand between order and chaos. Our police officers, sheriff's deputies, and state troopers routinely respond to situations most of us would run from. They deserve respect for that service.

At the same time, respect for law enforcement cannot mean blind acceptance of every decision made under color of authority.

This case troubles me.

Like every defendant in America, James Burke is entitled to the presumption of innocence. That principle is the foundation of our justice system, and it must remain intact regardless of public opinion, media coverage, or emotion.

But as I listen to testimony describing a police vehicle traveling 114 miles per hour without lights or sirens activated, I find myself wrestling with a difficult question: How much risk should the public be expected to bear in the pursuit of a suspect?

Perhaps there are facts still to come that will provide greater clarity. That is precisely why trials exist. Yet based on what has been presented so far, I struggle to understand the logic of endangering the very people law enforcement is sworn to protect when, in many cases, modern investigative tools make it increasingly likely that suspects will eventually be identified and apprehended.

Two men are dead. A police officer's career has been destroyed. Families on all sides have had their lives permanently altered.

For that reason, this case deserves careful consideration rather than knee-jerk conclusions.

I pray for the families of Cedric Hayden Jr. and DeJuan Pettis as they continue to endure an unimaginable loss. I pray for Officer Rodolfo, whose injuries were severe. I pray for James Burke and his family as they face the weight of these proceedings. And I pray for the jurors, the attorneys, and the court as they carry the responsibility of determining what justice requires.

The truth matters. Justice matters. And neither is served by rushing to judgment.

“Peace, love, and a loaded gun”

—Frank A. Fiorello

Sources: WXYD Detroit, FOX2 Detroit.