Man Charged In Wrong-Way Crash That Killed Farmington Hills Couple

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI — A Romulus man can spend the rest of his life in prison after fleeing police and causing a wrong-way crash that killed a Farmington Hills couple Saturday, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.

Angel Melendez-Ortiz, 35, was charged with two counts of fleeing and eluding police causing death, two counts of reckless driving causing death and two counts of operating a vehicle with a suspended license.

If convicted on the second-degree murder charged, he faces life in prison or any term of years. All other charges are felonies punishable by up to 15 years of imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine each.

"These are senseless deaths, and I have authorized the highest possible charges for this crime," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. "We will pursue justice for these victims and their entire family, including their young children, and we will hold this defendant accountable."

At 1:30 a.m., troopers found a 2006 Ford Super Duty pickup truck that was reported stolen in the back of a gas station on 8 Mile Road, police said.

The driver in the pickup truck backed up and nearly hit the troopers' car, before leaving the gas station onto 8 Mile Road near the Southfield Freeway, police said.

Troopers then tried to stop the pickup truck, but the truck sped off, police said.

Troopers chased the pickup truck north onto the Lodge Freeway, where the driver then exited onto northbound Telegraph Road and turned the pickup truck's headlights off, police said.

The pickup truck then made a U-trun onto southbound on Telegraph Road and entered the northbound lanes on the Lodge Freeway, while driving south with its headlights off, police said.

The pickup truck then struck a 2011 GMC Terrain head-on near Civic Center Drive in Southfield, killing Ryan Ambrosio, 45, and Jen Dormitorio Ambrosio, 43, who were returning home from a date night when the crash happened, police said.

Family members created a GoFundMe page for the couple's six young kids (ages 2-9) they leave behind. As of Wednesday afternoon, organizers have raised more than $385,000.

"They were so loved, by so many of us. Their families, friends, church, and community groups are reeling from this shocking loss," a family member wrote on the page.