Michigan’s medical chief to stand trial over Flint water

LANSING, MICH. — Michigan’s chief medical executive will stand trial on involuntary manslaughter and other charges in a criminal probe over the Flint water crisis, a judge ruled Friday, making Dr. Eden Wells the second member of Gov. Rick Snyder’s cabinet to go before a jury.

Wells is among six current or former officials facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Flint area in 2014 and 2015. Wells is now the second high-ranking state official, along with Health and Human Services director Nick Lyon, to be ordered to trial.

Wells is accused of failing to alert the public of the spike in Legionnaires’ cases in a timely manner and causing the death of 85-year-old John Snyder, learned of the trial decision from Judge William Crawford II. The 55-yearold from Ann Arbor also faces charges of obstructing justice, lying to an investigator and committing misconduct in office.

She denied any wrongdoing.