By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — Two Dearborn brothers, who were involved in a Dec. 25, 2011, car crash that killed a sister and left another sister injured, were sentenced Dec. 17 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Marjorie Braxton sentenced Yaken Al-Ghathie to spend 12 months in the William Dickerson Detention Facility on a work release program with three years probation.
Saber Alghathie was sentenced to spend four months in the same facility with two years probation. His sentence, which he will serve on the weekends, began on Dec. 21, according to a press release written by Al-Ghathie’s Dearborn-based attorney, John McWilliams.
Alghathie will serve his sentence on the weekends because he attends school during the week at Edsel Ford High School.
The brothers’ last names are spelled differently because of cultural reasons.
Al-Ghathie was arrested Feb. 2 by the Dearborn police and arraigned before 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers on charges of second degree murder and reckless driving causing death following the collision. Alghathie was arrested and arraigned Feb. 2 on the same charges; during a preliminary examination in February at the 19th District Court, Somers dismissed the murder charges.
Al-Ghathie was 20 at the time of the crash and Alghathie was 17.
After the co-defendants and their sisters attended another sister’s wedding, they drove toward the reception when Alghathie raced his 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt against Al-Ghathie, who drove a 2009 Jeep; Alghathie crashed into his brother’s Jeep, which crashed into 3 Nicks Sports Bar, 4822 Greenfield Road.
Eitedac Al-Gaithi, 22, died instantly after she was ejected from the Jeep and hit the pavement.
The second sister, Amain Alammari, 21 years old at the time, was in critical condition after she was ejected from the Jeep, according to the press release.
According to a published report, the brothers participated in a zaffa, or wedding procession, which, in Middle Eastern culture involves fast or erratic driving.
Al-Gaithi was pronounced dead at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center; both sisters were not wearing seat belts.
Alghathie already served 19 days of jail time in the Wayne County Jail, which was credited to his sentence; Al-Ghathie received credit toward his sentence after serving 14 days in Wayne County Jail.
According to the press release, Alammari spoke positively on behalf of Al-Ghathie and Alghathie.
Wayne County Circuit Court reopened offices after press time.
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at [email protected].)