BURTON, MI – A Flint man is accused of choking his girlfriend while speeding away from police moments before a violent crash in Burton that killed her and critically injured five children.

DeAndre Darryl Cold, 25, faces 17 felony charges in the crash and death of Danica Dean, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Flint police officers attempted to stop a white Pontiac Grand Prix just before midnight on Jan. 29 on Dort Highway.

Cold, who was later identified as the driver, allegedly fled the traffic stop, according to court documents.

Burton police spotted the same vehicle speeding through a red light at Hemphill Road on Dort Highway, before it lost control and crashed into a U-Haul truck, which was pushed into a Chevy Equinox.

Inside Cold’s vehicle were five children, an adult female rear passenger, and Dean. Dean was found trapped in the front passenger side of the vehicle and pronounced dead.

The children were ages 12, 9, 7, 3, and 2. Each child suffered critical injuries, and police reported that no child safety seats were found in the car.

All of the injured passengers were taken to McLaren Flint Hospital and listed in critical condition, according to court documents.

The driver of the U-Haul suffered serious injuries and was transported to Hurley Medical Center. Two that were in the Chevy Equinox also suffered serious injuries.

Cold was allegedly arguing with Dean, choking her while driving, hitting her and ignoring pleas from others to pull over, according to court documents.

He was interviewed by police in the hospital. Cold told officers that he was driving because Dean had been drinking, but he allegedly could not remember the events leading up to the crash.

Cold allegedly did not have a driver’s license and two active warrants for stolen property and resisting/obstructing police, according to the court documents.

He faces the following 17 charges:

• Homicide – Felony Murder
• Three counts of first-degree child abuse
• Second-degree murder
• First-degree fleeing a police officer
• Reckless driving causing death
• Two counts of second-degree child abuse
• Five counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function
• Operating without a license causing death
• Operating without a license causing serious injury
• Domestic violence