Driver in Detroit Bridge Death Convicted

DETROIT —  A driver who flew into a rage over a fender-bender and went after a woman with a car jack was convicted of murder Monday for forcing her to jump to her death off a bridge.

A jury deliberated less than five hours over two days before convicting Martell Welch Jr., 20, of second-degree murder in the Aug. 19 drowning of Deletha Word in the Detroit River.

Welch could get up to life in prison at his sentencing May 22.

Witnesses said Welch yanked Word from her car when it stalled on the bridge. He ripped her clothes off, slammed her head against his car and lifted her over a railing onto a sidewalk about 25 feet above the water, according to testimony. Word then climbed over the bridge’s outer railing.

As Welch approached, screaming and carrying the jack, Word let go of the outer railing and went into the water, witnesses said. She pushed away two men who jumped to rescue her.

Early police reports said many in the crowd cheered during the attack. But police officials later denied that and said that onlookers did not try to stop the beating because they were too horrified. However, a police officer testified that after Word jumped, some people laughed and seemed to treat the matter as a joke.

Word’s 13-year-old daughter, Daneeka, tears streaming down her face, said she was happy with the verdict.