The suits claim a Kent County Sheriff's deputy and Michigan State Police detective sgt. were 'grossly negligent' in the deaths of Samuel Sterling and Riley Doggett.

Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of the families of two Grand Rapids-area residents who died after being hit by police cruisers in separate incidents last year.  Attorneys for the families of 17-year-old Riley Doggett and 25-year-old Samuel Sterling said both were unarmed at the time of their deaths,

The deaths of 25-year-old Samuel Sterling and 17-year-old Riley Doggett, both in the Grand Rapids area, were the focal point of calls for police reform and justice by families this week.

The families of Samuel Sterling, 25, and Riley Doggett, 17, have filed lawsuits in federal court against two different police officers who were driving police vehicles that stuck the men in separate incidents.

Over the past 24 hours, troopers from the Grand Rapids post handled 83 crashes in Ottawa, Muskegon and Kent counties.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A motorist likely suffered a medical problem Tuesday, Jan. 21, before a fatal crash on U.S. 131 north of Pearl Street, state police said. The crash was reported at 6:18 a.m. on southbound U.S. 131 north of Pearl Street.

At least one person is dead after a semi crash on US-131 in Grand Rapids Monday night, according to Michigan State Police.

A man killed during an attempted arrest in 2024 is now tied to one of Grand Rapids' highest profile murders of 2023. Samuel Sterling is among 5 suspects in the death of Darryl Yaber.

Under new Michigan law, state police will be required to destroy all firearms turned over to them that were purchased under a gun buyback program.

Dominike Sterling was charged with first-degree murder and Tyriq Bettison was charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

Up to 15 vehicles were involved in a crash that temporarily shut down a highway in western Michigan Monday amid snowy conditions.

Drivers heading out Tuesday encountered hazardous driving conditions, with snow-covered roads and intermittent whiteout conditions leading to crashes on highways around West Michigan.