Vehicular homicide case moves forward in circuit court

Mark Casterman

Vehicular homicide case moves forward in circuit court

Argument led to man allegedly running wife over with car

By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor

LUDINGTON — The criminal case against a 59-year-old Grand Rapids man accused of running over his wife with a car and killing her moves forward in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court.

Mark Lazon Casterman appeared in court for a pretrial hearing with his attorney Horia Neagos Tuesday, Feb. 13. Neagos told Judge Susan K. Sniegowski that he intended to file a motion to quash, but didn’t specify what the motion will entail.

Mason County Prosecutor Lauren Kreinbrink said no plea offers have been made on the case.

A motion hearing is scheduled for March 12 to hear Neagos’ motion.

An argument during a ride home from the casino led to the death of 45-year-old Melissa Casterman-Medacco, who the prosecution alleges was run over by a car driven by her husband of 16 years, Mark Casterman, on Sept. 15, 2023 on US 31 near Freeman Road in Free Soil Township.

Prosecutor Kreinbrink said “the fight, the anger and the drinking led to the crash” during a preliminary examination in 79th District Court, Dec. 6.

Following three-and-a-half hours of testimony by half a dozen witnesses, District Court Judge John Middlebrook bound over charges of homicide – open murder, operating while intoxicated causing death, operating while license suspended causing death and third-offense operating while intoxicated to 51st Circuit Court.

Judge Middlebrook noted Casterman’s previous drunk driving convictions in 1990, 1998 and 2005.

Homicide is punishable by up to life imprisonment; operating while intoxicated causing death carries a 15-year maximum; operating while license suspended, revoked, or denied causing death also carries a 15-year maximum; and third-offense operating while intoxicated is punishable by one to five years in prison.

Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole previously said Casterman-Medacco was killed instantly and was declared dead at the scene.

Casterman remains lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $1 million bond.

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