A late-night walk along westbound Eight Mile Road in Royal Oak Township ended in chaos yesterday when a child was hit by a vehicle and the driver took off before police arrived, according to Michigan State Police. The child was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials have not released the victim's age or condition.
Michigan State Police told The Oakland Press that troopers were called to the crash at about 11:17 p.m. The child was reported to have been walking on westbound Eight Mile Road east of Wyoming Avenue when a vehicle struck them, then continued west on Eight Mile. Troopers said the driver did not stop and left the area before officers arrived. "Even the smallest detail could move this investigation forward," Michigan State Police said.
Officials look for witnesses
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Michigan State Police Metro North Post at 248-584-5740, according to the department's contact listings. Royal Oak Township contracts police services with the Metro North Post, which covers Oakland and Macomb counties and is leading the probe.
Local pattern of pedestrian crashes
Crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists along Eight Mile and neighboring roads have raised alarms in recent months. Previous local reporting, including coverage of a fatal walking-related crash in Royal Oak Township by WXYZ and a deadly bicycle crash in Huron Township by CBS Detroit, has kept attention on safety along busy county roads.
What the law says
Under Michigan law, drivers involved in collisions must stop, give identifying information and render reasonable assistance; leaving the scene after an injury can lead to misdemeanor or felony charges depending on the severity of harm. Legal summaries of the state vehicle code note that leaving the scene of an accident that causes injury or serious impairment may be prosecuted under the state's statutes and can carry fines, license suspension and potential jail time; readers can consult a state-law summary for details.
How to help
Troopers are asking anyone who may have dash-cam, security-camera or phone video of vehicles traveling west on Eight Mile around 11:17 p.m. Sunday to call the Metro North Post tip line at 248-584-5740 or submit information through the Michigan State Police mobile app. Investigators said even small details about the vehicle, its direction or a partial license plate could be important to the case.
