The driver of the SUV involved in the fatal hit-and-run that killed former Nickelodeon child star Kianna Underwood has insisted he bears no responsibility for her death, claiming he stopped after the initial impact and attempted to prevent a second vehicle from fleeing the scene.Michael Griffiths, 71, told the New York Daily News that he was driving a 2021 black Ford Explorer when he struck Underwood, 33, early Friday morning in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Fighting back tears, Griffiths said the incident happened as he was on his way to work in low-light conditions.
“It felt like I hit something,” he said. “I pulled over and stopped. I did nothing wrong.”According to police and surveillance footage, Underwood was crossing Pitkin Avenue at Watkins Street around 6:50 a.m., against the traffic signal. The video shows the SUV veering over the double yellow line to pass a stopped vehicle before hitting Underwood in the crosswalk and throwing her across the intersection.Moments later, a black-and-gray sedan struck Underwood as she lay on the roadway and dragged her for more than two blocks before fleeing, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene from severe traumatic injuries. The second driver has not yet been identified.Griffiths said he witnessed the second impact after pulling over and exited his vehicle along with other bystanders to try to flag the sedan down.“I saw another car hit the person and start dragging them,” he said. “We tried to stop it, but it just kept going.”Griffiths has not been charged, though police have impounded his SUV as part of the ongoing investigation. Records show the vehicle has accumulated dozens of traffic violations over the years. Griffiths also acknowledged that he declined to give a formal statement to investigators, directing them instead to his attorney.“I felt like I was going to faint,” he said, explaining that he eventually left the scene because he needed to take his medication.Underwood was born and raised in New York and began her career in entertainment at a young age. She first gained recognition as a voice actor on the Nick Jr. animated series Little Bill, which aired from 1999 to 2004. She later appeared on Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy show All That during its final season, alongside stars including Amanda Bynes, Nick Cannon and Kenan Thompson.Despite her early success, Underwood struggled in recent years and was known to be experiencing homelessness. In late 2023, former All That castmate Angelique Bates publicly expressed concern about Underwood’s wellbeing, saying she needed structured support rather than just financial help.Police continue to search for the driver of the sedan involved in the second, fatal collision as the investigation remains ongoing.
