Medical chief of Michigan to stand trial on Flint charges

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s chief medical executive will stand trial on involuntary manslaughter and other charges in a criminal investigation 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 government officials facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Flint area in 2014 and 2015.

Wells is accused of failing to alert the public of the spike in Legionnaires’ cases in a timely manner and causing the death of John Snyder, 85. Wells, 55, also faces charges of obstructing justice, lying to an investigator and committing misconduct in office. She denied any wrongdoing.