Felony charges against Ford Motor Co. executive Franck Louis-Victor were dismissed Thursday, local news organizations reported.
The CEO of Ford Next LLC was accused of arson and assault with a dangerous weapon, The Oakland Press reported.
Louis-Victor was arrested this month after a domestic dispute with his wife at his home in Michigan. He was accused of trying to burn two high-end handbags worth up to $20,000 and of wielding a butane torch near his wife when she attempted to grab the purses, according to The Oakland Press.
Louis-Victor was later arraigned at 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Judge Kimberly Small of the 48th District Court dismissed the case against Louis-Victor after the prosecution could not produce any witnesses at his latest hearing, the Detroit Free Press reported.
At the hearing, Allison Krueger, an Oakland County assistant prosecutor, told Small that county officials were unable to contact Soo Louis-Victor and that a subpoena compelling her to appear to testify could not be served, the Free Press reported.
Following the incident, Soo Louis-Victor had issued a statement to the Free Press in support of her husband and dismissed the accusations of domestic violence against him.
Krueger was also unable to contact the officer she was planning to call as a witness, the Free Press reported.
The charges were dismissed without prejudice and can be refiled in the future, according to The Oakland Press.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s office did not respond to requests for comment from Automotive News. Louis-Victor’s defense attorney, Todd Flood, also did not respond to requests for comment.
Louis-Victor was hired in 2021 to oversee Ford’s autonomous vehicle and mobility services teams, as well as its Ford X incubator, and now serves as vice president of Ford’s new business platforms.
