Mecklenburg man will spend years in prison after DWI, killing teen, DA says
A man will spend at least eight years in prison after a jury convicted him of driving under the influence and killing a teenager, according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said that a jury found 54-year-old Michael Himes guilty of felony death by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving to endanger, hit and run resulting in serious injury or death and driving while impaired.
Superior Court Judge Hugh Lewis sentenced him to 80 to 108 months in prison for the felony death by motor vehicle conviction, and to another 16 to 29 months in prison for hit and run and reckless driving.
Judgment was arrested on the involuntary manslaughter and driving while impaired convictions. In legal terms, that means he was convicted but the sentence only applies to some of the charges.
Prosecutors said the case dated back to Feb. 17, 2020, when Himes drove his Ford F-150 on Old Plank Road after an argument with his fiancee. He had been drinking, according to the district attorney’s office, and he drove about 60 mph in a zone where the speed limit was 35.
He ran into the driver’s door of 17-year-old Maniche Wilson’s vehicle, according to prosecutors. She died at the scene.
Himes did not call 911 and fled the scene before Charlotte-Mecklenburg police detectives arrested him, according to the DA’s office.
Ryan Oehrli covers criminal justice in the Charlotte region for The Charlotte Observer. His work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The Observer maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.