FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — A 68-year-old man died in what police are investigating as a hit-and-run crash in Farmington Hills, with neighbors saying he may have been left on the side of the road for hours before help arrived.
Police began their investigation on Middlebelt Road near Eldon Road around 8 a.m. Thursday when someone called to report an unconscious 68-year-old man on the side of the road.
A nearby neighbor living at an apartment complex believes it was the same man he saw around 3 a.m.
"I seen a shopper's cart, it was in the snow. And then the gentleman was laying down. I thought he was sleeping. Thought he was homeless and it's cold," the neighbor said. "He was out there a long time."
When police arrived, they began life-saving measures before transporting the man to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Mya Meade, who lives at the same apartment complex, said she saw a very active police presence Thursday morning.
"I knew it had to be serious for them to pull out the drones and block off the streets. It was really crazy," Meade said.
Investigators learned the 68-year-old man's last address was in Macomb County. After pulling him from the shoulder of the road where he lay in Farmington Hills, police said his injuries suggest he was hit by a car.
A nearby homeowner on the opposing side of the road, Mike, who didn't wish to appear on camera, said he was unsurprised by the news, claiming similar tragedies have happened in the past on the busy thoroughfare.
"It's a sad thing, but it does happen around here," Mike said. "This area here doesn't have much for lights, or any sidewalks. You know what I mean? It's dangerous."
"It's like a curse. Something always happens at the beginning of the year," Meade said.
"And I pray that everyone be safe and drive careful on the road," the neighbor said.
Investigators encourage anyone with information to contact them at the Farmington Hills Police Command Desk at (248) 871-2610.
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