Man charged in Clinton Twp. vape shop explosion seeks to dismiss case
Noor Kestou, charged with involuntary manslaughter after a vape shop explosion, argues the prosecution hasn't proven his negligence caused the fatal fire.Summary
Noor Kestou, the owner of a Clinton Township warehouse, is seeking to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge against him following a 2024 explosion that killed 19-year-old Turner Lee Salter. Kestou's attorneys argue that prosecutors haven't established a causal link between his storage of nitrous oxide and butane and the fire, stating investigators haven't determined the fire's origin. They contend that Kestou, at most, violated a zoning ordinance, and that holding him responsible without knowing the cause is an injustice. Prosecutors maintain Kestou was grossly negligent by improperly storing excessive amounts of flammable materials, creating a foreseeable risk of explosion and death. The defense argued that simply having the materials for a long time without incident doesn't negate the possibility of other causes, while the prosecution likened the situation to speeding – a dangerous practice even if it hasn't previously resulted in an accident. Judge Servitto has not yet ruled on the motion to dismiss, but questioned the defense's focus on the cause of the fire versus the dangerous quantities of materials stored on site.
(Source：Detroit Local News)
