OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A 36-year-old Pontiac woman was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in prison following a fatal motorcycle crash on September 1, 2025.
Leeann Jean Darling pleaded no contest to three felony charges related to the incident, which occurred on Woodward Avenue at Perry Street. According to the Oakland County Circuit Court, Judge Mary Ellen Brennan imposed a sentence of up to 40 years on each count, to be served concurrently. Darling has received credit for 132 days already served, and her sentence was enhanced under Michigan’s habitual offender statute.
The crash took place just before 10:30 p.m. when a 49-year-old man was riding a 2009 Harley Davidson FLHX with a 44-year-old passenger. Darling, driving a 2010 GMC Terrain, reportedly ran a red light on northbound Perry Street, resulting in a collision with the motorcycle. Authorities stated that the motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital where he later died; his passenger was hospitalized but has since been released. Neither rider was wearing a helmet.
Following the crash, Darling fled the scene but later turned herself in on October 1, 2025. At the time of her arrest, she had an outstanding warrant for a felony probation violation related to a prior DUI charge. She was arraigned on October 4, 2025, with a bond set at $750,000.
A restitution hearing is scheduled for May 14, 2026, and Darling is prohibited from contacting the victim’s family or the surviving passenger.