Case advances against former deputy charged with shooting pregnant teen

A former Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy facing a criminal charge after a pregnant teenager was shot following a traffic stop in Pontiac waived his right to a preliminary exam on Tuesday, which advanced the case to Oakland County Circuit Court.

Cadotte was scheduled for a preliminary exam Tuesday morning in 50th District Court, where Judge Michael Martinez would decide if there was probable cause for the case to proceed. With the waiver, the case was bound over to the higher court.

Cadotte, 52, is charged with careless discharge of a firearm causing injury or death, which left 16-yearold Isabella Simpson with a bullet wound to the collar bone. He was a 20-year veteran with the sheriff’s office when Isabella was shot on March 9.

According to the sheriff’s office, the shooting happened shortly after 2 a.m. near Bagley Street and Arthur Avenue, where several deputies, including Cadotte, had responded to assist in a drug-related arrest. One of the deputies then pulled over a car for a traffic-related offense, and the driver jumped out of the car and fled as the vehicle proceeded toward Cadotte, who had positioned his patrol vehicle in an attempt to block the moving car. As the car continued toward him, Cadotte fired at its windshield, hitting the teenage girl, the sheriff’s office said.

The charge against Cadotte followed a review by the sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit. He was arraigned May 1. Also in May, the sheriff’s office announced Cadotte was to be fired.

Cadotte is scheduled to be arraigned in Oakland County Circuit Court on Oct. 5 before Judge Cheryl Matthews.

MediaNews Group was unable to reach Cadotte’s attorney, Deanna Kelley, prior to publication time.