Woman wanted in fatal New Year’s Day hit-and-run in Michigan

January 3, 2023

Authorities in Oakland Township, Michigan, are looking for an Asian woman who was behind the wheel of a BMW that struck a man and left him for dead on the morning of New Year’s Day.

The incident reportedly occurred on Rochester Road just south of Whims Lane at around 5:49 a.m. The victim, Benjamin Kable, was walking on the southbound lane when he was hit by the vehicle traveling in the same direction.

The driver fled from the 22-year-old victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Frank Bjarnesen, a nearby resident, described the aftermath of the incident.

“I just saw flashing lights about… 6 ‘o clock in the morning. Didn’t think anything of it,” Bjarnesen told WXYZ. “Half [an] hour later, they were still out there. So, I walked out and saw the unfortunate.”

Kable, of Shelby Township, was an electrical engineering senior at Michigan State University and was on a holiday break.

He was heading home from a party when he was struck by the vehicle, according to reports.

“At some point I guess he wanted to leave and called an Uber. And then he said his Uber was out there… a few minutes away,” a friend told FOX 2. “We don’t know what happened between him walking out of the house and walking on the road. It’s tragic.”

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office described the suspect as an Asian woman.

Her vehicle was described as a 2012 to 2019 BMW 300 Series, possibly white in color.

“A terrible crash like this is horrific enough, but to flee the scene and leave a person in the road like trash is unforgivable,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “We need the public’s help finding this person.”

An investigation into the case is ongoing. Anyone with information about the driver and/or the vehicle is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP. There is a $1,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest.

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