Authorities arrested and indicted 72-year-old Michael Griffiths on Tuesday, September 29, charging him with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death following a fatal January hit-and-run in Brooklyn that claimed the life of former Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood, according to Vibe.
Michael Griffiths Indicted in Kianna Underwood Hit-And-Run Death
- Michael Griffiths, 72, was indicted on Tuesday, September 29, over the January 16 hit-and-run death of 33-year-old former child star Kianna Underwood in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
- Investigators state Underwood was struck while crossing against a red light by Griffiths’ black 2021 Ford Explorer SUV, before being run over and dragged by a second, still-unidentified black sedan.
- Griffiths denies fault, claiming he attempted to flag down the second driver and fled the scene because he feared a medical episode without his medication.
The January Intersection Collision in Brownsville
The fatal sequence unfolded on the morning of January 16 at the intersection of Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, according to Vibe. Thirty-three-year-old Kianna Underwood was crossing the street against a red light when a black 2021 Ford Explorer SUV driven by Michael Griffiths struck her. ABC7 New York reported that after lying in the street from the initial impact, Underwood was subsequently struck and run over by a second vehicle—identified as a black and gray sedan heading west on Pitkin Avenue—which dragged her body for two blocks before it became dislodged near Osborne Street. Underwood was pronounced dead at the scene.
Charges and Defense Claims From Michael Griffiths
Authorities took 72-year-old Michael Griffiths into custody on Tuesday, September 29, indicting him on multiple charges including leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and leaving the scene of an accident with injury, as detailed by ABC7 New York. Griffiths, whose residence sits a short distance from the crash site, maintains that he bears no responsibility for Underwood’s death. In an interview with the New York Daily News days after the incident, Griffiths insisted, “I did nothing wrong,” explaining that he was commuting to work at the time. “At the time it was a little bit darkish. It felt like I hit something, and I pulled over and stopped.” Griffiths defended his departure from the scene by citing fear of a fainting spell because he lacked his medication, and he admitted to stonewalling initial police questioning on the advice of his attorney. City records show that Griffiths’ vehicle accumulated 41 violations, including 25 for speeding. Meanwhile, the driver of the second, black-and-gray sedan that dragged Underwood for two blocks remains unidentified and unapprehended.
| Incident Detail | Reported Fact |
|---|---|
| Date of Crash | January 16 |
| Location | Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard, Brownsville, Brooklyn |
| Suspect Arrested | Michael Griffiths, 72 (Indicted Tuesday, September 29) |
| Vehicles Involved | Black 2021 Ford Explorer SUV (Griffiths) and a second black-and-gray sedan |
Child Stardom and Later Hardship for Kianna Underwood
Born in New York City and raised in Harlem’s Abraham Lincoln NYCHA housing complex, Kianna Underwood built an early career in fashion shows and commercials before breaking into film in the 1998 feature The 24 Hour Woman. She secured notable voiceover work as Fuchsia Glover in Bill Cosby’s Nick Jr. series Little Bill from 1999 to 2004, followed by a seven-episode run in 2005 during the tenth and final season of Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy hit All That, which launched careers for alumni like Kenan Thompson, Nick Cannon, and Amanda Bynes, as noted by ABC7 New York. Her extensive credits also include a year on the first national tour of Hairspray as Little Inez, a voice role as Dakota in the animated movie Santa Baby, and a minor appearance in Damon Dash’s 2003 Roc-A-Fella-inspired film Death Of A Dynasty. Following her time in the spotlight, Underwood faded from public view, battling homelessness, drug abuse, and erratic behavior that prompted fellow Nickelodeon alum Angelique Bates to urge industry peers in 2023 to coordinate professional assistance and a structured intervention.
