Officer Charged with Second Degree Murder in 117 M.P.H. High-Speed Crash That Killed Cedric Hayden Jr., and Dejuan Pettis

WARREN, Mich., June 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jury selection is scheduled to begin on June 2, 2026, in the criminal prosecution of former Warren Police Officer James Burke, who is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, willful neglect of duty, and operating a vehicle causing serious bodily injury arising from a high-speed crash that killed Cedric Hayden and Dejuan Pettis. Defendant Burke was allegedly traveling at speeds reaching 117 miles per hour in a 40-mile-per-hour zone without emergency lights or sirens activated seconds prior to the collision, which occurred just before 5:00 a.m., on September 30, 2024. The crash tragically claimed the lives of Cedric Hayden Jr., and Dejuan Pettis who were innocent not suspected of any crime, nor were they involved in the police activity that preceded the crash. Hayden and Pettis are remembered as remarkable fathers, sons, brothers, and best friends to the very end.

The criminal trial marks a significant moment in the pursuit of accountability and justice for the deaths of two young men whose lives were cut short in an entirely preventable tragedy. While the criminal case is being prosecuted by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, the families of Cedric Hayden Jr., and Dejuan Pettis, represented by Fieger Law, continue their pursuit of justice in the civil justice system against Defendant Burke, and the Warren Police Department. The families of Cedric Hayden Jr., and Dejuan Pettis, alongside their lawyers, will attend the criminal trial, as the fight for accountability and justice encounters its first major court proceeding.

“This case raises important questions about public safety, the responsibilities entrusted to law enforcement officers, and the consequences when those responsibilities are willfully disregarded,” said James Harrington President and CEO of Fieger Law. “As the criminal proceedings begin, our thoughts remain with the families of Cedric and Dejuan, who have endured an unimaginable and profound loss. We will continue to pursue every available avenue to ensure accountability and justice for their loved ones and remain by our client’s side every step of the way,” Harrington said.

Media and members of the public are expected to closely follow the proceedings as testimony and evidence are presented in what has become one of the most closely watched police misconduct cases in the region.

For further information please contact:
Crissy Obermok, Marketing & Communications Manager
(313) 819-2007
c.obermok@fiegerlaw.com

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SOURCE Fieger Law