Ex-Warren cop not guilty in deaths of 2 men in violent crash in 2024

A former Warren police officer, James Burke, was found not guilty of the deaths of Cedric Hayden Jr., 34, and DeJuan Pettis, 33, after a high-speed crash in 2024. Burke and his partner, Officer Michael Rodolfo, were pursuing a stolen vehicle when Burke’s SUV struck the Durango at roughly 93 mph in a 40 mph zone, after turning onto a side street. The incident, captured by a Flock camera, left Rodolfo injured and Hayden dead as his vehicle rolled after impact. Burke faced two felony counts of homicide-manslaughter with a motor vehicle and two misdemeanors, with the jury deliberating for more than four hours before returning a not-guilty verdict. Burke had been terminated by the Warren department following the charges. Prosecutors argued Burke drove above 100 mph with no emergency lights or sirens activated, while defense urged the jury to consider the full context, including time, road conditions, and what Burke knew at the moment.