Chris Leslie, a 35-year-old Taylor man, died after two vehicles struck him while he was crossing Van Born Road. The first driver stopped; the second left the scene. The second driver had not been arrested as of the latest update.
WXYZ 7 News Detroit reported that Leslie was first struck by an oncoming vehicle on Van Born Road and that its driver stopped. Roughly 20 to 30 seconds later, an eastbound vehicle ran over him, the station reported. That driver left the scene and had not been arrested at the time of the report, according to WXYZ 7 News Detroit.
Flock Footage Helped Identify the Vehicle
Taylor police used surveillance footage, including Flock camera technology, to identify the vehicle involved and speak with the driver who left the scene, WXYZ reported. Investigators said the technology was important to identifying its license plate. The driver had not been taken into custody, and the investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.
WXYZ also reported that police believe drugs or alcohol may have been involved with the first driver, but were awaiting forensic test results. The station said authorities had not released further details about either driver’s identity.
What the Available Data Show
Taylor’s police department says its Flock system supports retroactive searches to investigate crimes and real-time alerts for hotlist vehicles, according to the city’s Flock transparency portal. That description addresses the system’s uses; the information cited here does not specify retention periods or rules for access, sharing, or audits. A statewide Michigan Traffic Crash Facts analysis reported that pedestrian-involved crashes rose from 1,682 in 2020—a low the report says was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic—to 2,131 in 2024. Those statewide totals do not show how pedestrian fatality or serious-injury crashes changed in Taylor or Wayne County, or provide a local comparison with Michigan.
Family Remembers Leslie as Funny and Kind
Leslie’s brother, Aaron Baker, told WXYZ he was devastated by the news and described Leslie as funny and kind, saying he was someone who often told jokes.
John Curcio, a friend who had helped Leslie through difficult periods, told WXYZ that Leslie had struggled with homelessness and substance abuse. Curcio is helping Baker, who is also dealing with homelessness, as the family works to arrange a burial. “We need to help these people that are out here on these corners,” Curcio said, urging the community to do more for people in need.
A separate fatal crash on the Lodge Freeway also claimed the life of a driver who had pulled onto the shoulder to help others after a two-vehicle collision, according to ClickOnDetroit, citing Michigan State Police. Michigan law provides for a felony penalty of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for certain violations causing serious impairment or death, under the statute maintained by the Michigan Legislature. It remains unclear whether that statute applies in Leslie’s case or whether charges have been filed.
Leslie’s family and friends are focused on honoring him as the investigation continues. No one had been arrested in connection with his death as of the latest update.
