MENOMINEE — A Menominee man was officially charged with driving under the influence of drugs and reckless driving, both causing death, by Menominee County’s prosecutor Wednesday.

Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Rogg charged a 20-year-old Menominee man in connection with the death of Derek John Bryant, 29, of Vulcan, following a two-vehicle crash on Oct. 21, 2019, in Lake Township.

According to a document released by the prosecutor’s office, on Oct. 21, 2019, at around 1:30 p.m., a 1995 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck driven by the 20-year-old disregarded a stop sign posted on County Road 356 at the intersection of County Road 577, and crashed into a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Croy Smith, 36, of Norway.

The impact of the crash forced the Suburban off the roadway, partially ejecting one of five occupants, Bryant, who died as a result of his injuries sustained in the crash.

The 20-year-old driver’s blood was sent to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab for analysis. There, quantities of THC, a Schedule One controlled substance and Diazepam, a Schedule Four controlled substance, were detected.

The Menominee man has been charged with with operating while under the influence of drugs causing death, a 15-year felony, and reckless driving causing death, a 15-year felony.

He will be arraigned Wednesday, March 4, in 95-A District Court in Menominee before the Judge Robert J. Jamo in district court.

“Our charging decision is based on the available evidence and what charges we reasonably believe can (be) proved to a jury, beyond a reasonable doubt, at trial,” Rogg said.

Jamo previously set a personal recognizance bond in the amount of $50,000. The man is currently serving a 12-month sentence in Menominee County Jail on unrelated convictions.

The investigation was conducted by the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, the Michigan State Police and the Menominee Police Department.