Driver, 72, charged over Brooklyn hit-and-run that killed ex-Nickelodeon actor Kianna Underwood
Michael Griffiths, 72, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a fatal January crash in Brownsville, Brooklyn that killed former Nickelodeon actor Kianna Underwood, 33. A second driver who dragged Underwood has not been publicly identified.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Michael Griffiths, 72, was arrested on Tuesday 29 September and charged over the January hit-and-run death of former Nickelodeon actor Kianna Underwood in Brooklyn. New York PostR “Michael Griffiths was cuffed Tuesday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and leaving the scene of an accident with injury, the NYPD said.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “72-year-old Michael Griffiths was arrested on Tuesday by the New York City Police Department (NYPD).” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Underwood, 33, was hit by two vehicles in Brownsville around 6:50 a.m. on 16 January and was pronounced dead at the scene. New York PostR “Underwood, 33, was plowed down by two vehicles in Brownsville around 6:50 a.m. on Jan. 16.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “The former All That star was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 33.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Surveillance footage obtained by the New York Post showed a Ford SUV crossing the double yellow line to pass a stopped car and hitting Underwood, who the Post says was crossing against the light at Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue. New York PostR “Surveillance footage obtained by The Post showed Underwood crossing against the light at Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue when a Ford SUV crossed the double yellow line into the opposite lane to pass a stopped car ahead.” Read at New York Post ↗
A police source said a second, black and gray sedan then ran over Underwood and dragged her several hundred feet; that driver fled and the Daily Mail says it is unclear what progress police have made in identifying them. New York PostR “The former child star was then run over by a second black and gray sedan that dragged her “several hundred feet,” a police source told The Post at the time.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “It's unclear what progress police have made in tracking down the driver of the second vehicle that hit Underwood.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ In a January interview with the New York Daily News, Griffiths said they felt they hit something, stopped, and "did nothing wrong"; Griffiths said they then left to take medication and felt they might faint. New York PostR “Griffiths said he then left to take his medication and “felt like I was going to faint when the incident happened,” he told the Daily News.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “Griffiths admitted that he was driving the Ford SUV that first hit Underwood, but he claimed he 'did nothing wrong.'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Records show the 2021 Ford Explorer had been ticketed for 41 violations, 25 of them for speeding. New York PostR “police had impounded his car — which had been ticketed for 41 violations, including 25 for speeding, according to records.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “Records obtained by the Daily News showed that Griffiths's vehicle in the past had been ticketed for 41 violations, 25 of which were for speeding.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Court records cited by the Daily Mail list Griffiths's next court appearance as 27 October; the Mail said it had asked Griffiths's attorney, the NYPD and the Kings County District Attorney's Office for comment and had no response. Daily MailR “has his next court appearance scheduled for October 27.”“The Daily Mail has reached out to Griffiths's attorney, the NYPD and the Kings County District Attorney's Office for comment but has not yet received a response.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Underwood appeared in the final season of All That in 2005 and had been homeless in recent years, a situation a former castmate publicly criticised Nickelodeon over in 2023. New York PostR “had been struggling with homelessness in recent years, becoming a frequent sight on the Brownsville streets where she died.” Read at New York Post ↗ Daily MailR “In November 2023, she shared an Instagram video and called out Nickelodeon for turning a blind eye.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets lead with the arrest of the 72-year-old driver and the victim's former Nickelodeon fame. The Post is a concise crime report built on its own surveillance footage and police sources; the Mail is a longer piece that largely re-reports the Post and Daily News and adds colour about Underwood's life.
- Emphasis
- The Post stresses the driver's denial, the ticket record and the footage. The Mail adds the court date, the father's Facebook post, a former castmate's criticism of Nickelodeon and neighbours' comments.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither reports a statement from Griffiths's lawyer or prosecutors. Neither reports any arrest of the second driver. The Post does not give the next court date.
- Charged language
- “brutal hit-and-run crash”“plowed down”“Shocking surveillance footage”“roadkill”
- For example
-
“was plowed down by two vehicles in Brownsville around 6:50 a.m. on Jan. 16.” — New York Post
“Shocking surveillance footage from the scene obtained by CBS News showed Underwood leaving a doorstep” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Michael Griffiths, 72, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and with injury.
- Underwood, 33, was struck by two vehicles in Brownsville, Brooklyn, on 16 January and died at the scene.
- Griffiths told the New York Daily News they 'did nothing wrong' and left to take medication.
- The Ford Explorer had 41 prior violations, 25 for speeding.
Where accounts differ
-
Responsibility for Underwood's death
- Right
- Both outlets relay Griffiths's claim of having done nothing wrong while reporting footage of the SUV crossing the double yellow line and the later charges; both note the second driver, who dragged Underwood, fled.
Michael Griffiths person
Griffiths, in January remarks to the Daily News as relayed by both outlets, said they hit 'something', stopped, tried to flag down the second car, and 'did nothing wrong'. The Mail says Griffiths told authorities then that they would get a lawyer and not answer questions.
“It felt like I hit something, and I pulled over and stopped,” he told the publication.” — New York Post
“Griffiths told authorities that he was getting a lawyer and would not be answering any questions about the fatal hit-and-run.” — Daily Mail
Kianna Underwood person
Underwood is portrayed as a former child actor who had fallen on hard times and was homeless in Brownsville; the Mail quotes her father and a former castmate mourning her.
“'Y’all have no idea how much this one hurts…Sick to my stomach….So many people failed baby girl.'” — Daily Mail
North America1 outlet
The New York Post reports the arrest as a local crime update, citing its own footage and the NYPD.
“Surveillance footage obtained by The Post showed Underwood crossing against the light” — New York Post
New York Post
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Daily Mail treats it as a celebrity story, attributing much of the facts to US outlets and adding biography and tributes.
“The New York Post previously reported Griffiths's arrest.” — Daily Mail
Daily Mail
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
Driver, 72, arrested in NYC hit-and-run that killed ex-Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood
Neutral Straightforward crime report on the arrest, using the Post's own footage, police sources and Griffiths's earlier denial.
-
Sympathetic Arrest story that recaps the case from other outlets' reporting and devotes much space to Underwood's career, decline and mourners.
- 30 Sep 06:11 First New York PostR Driver, 72, arrested in NYC hit-and-run that killed ex-Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood
- 1 Oct 01:21 +19h 10m Daily MailR Elderly driver, 72, is arrested for brutal hit-and-run crash that killed ex-Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.