An Auburn Hills community is grappling with the aftermath of a high-speed car crash that claimed the life of a 68-year-old man and left a woman critically injured. According to The Detroit News, on Thursday evening, a man driving a red 2020 Kia Forte sped away from police and subsequently crashed into a tan 2002 Ford F-150. The Kia driver is still being sought after fleeing on foot.
The pursuit began when an officer attempted to stop the speeding Kia on Lapeer Road at around 7 p.m. but ended the chase shortly thereafter at Zelma Drive, reportedly due to an escalation in danger posed by the high speeds involved. This driver was seen traveling as fast "as fast as 88 mph before passing a small hill toward Walton Boulevard," outlined in a statement by the police department and reported by The Oakland Press. Moments later, the officer discovering the crash site upon seeing smoke in the distance.
Both the driver of the F-150 and the Kia's female passenger were transported to local hospitals. Despite the efforts of first responders, the F-150 driver succumbed to his injuries, while the Kia passenger's condition has stabilized according to information provided by local authorities. As reported by FOX 2 Detroit, a search and investigation led by Auburn Hills police, assisted by the Southeast Oakland County Crash Investigation Team, remain ongoing as they seek the male driver involved in the incident.
Law enforcement urges the public to come forth with any information that may aid in locating the individual responsible. "The investigation is still very active, and investigators are using all available resources to locate and arrest the person responsible for this tragic crash," police said in an announcement. In the meantime, statistics posted by Michigan State Police underscore the prevalence of road incidents in the region: a total of 379 people have died on Michigan roads this year, with 16 fatalities recorded between May 29 and June 5. This marks slightly fewer deaths and serious injuries than in 2023, as detailed in a report by The Detroit News.
Auburn Hills police are encouraging anyone with information to urgently contact them at (248) 370-9460 so to help bring closure to the affected families and community members touched by this tragedy.
