CANTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — This morning at 4:45, a pedestrian was fatally struck by two vehicles on Ford Road and Haggerty.
A 33-year-old man was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Westland resident had been living at a nearby hotel, and moments before the accident, he came to the Shell Gas station near Ikea to buy a few items.
Security footage shows a westbound SUV striking him while he was attempting to cross the gas station on Ford Road.
Seconds later, a 2nd vehicle, a white sedan, ran over the man. An eyewitness, Jacki Troell, saw the 2nd car.
"Suddenly, the front of his car just popped up, and then I saw somebody follow up with it. At that time, I realized when the cop was approaching the guy that in the white car they had run over him and left, and I kept thinking I didn't get a license plate. I thought he was stopping," said Troell.
Canton Police confirmed both drivers have been identified, and as the investigation continues, so far, alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor. But Lt. Adam Shulman says Ford Road is a concern.
"It is one of our higher crash locations for the Township. I don't know the specific number," said Lt. Shulman, Canton Police Department.
According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, our roads' average daily traffic volume is between 50 to 60K vehicles. Based on that, the average crash rate is around 1.37% at signalized intersections.
Haggerty has a volume of 58k with a 3.2% crash rate.
Last year, MDOT announced plans to turn Ford Road into a boulevard in Canton. By doing so, left turns between I-275 and Sheldon will be removed.
"We hope eliminating those left turns will make a much safer area," said Diane Cross, Michigan Department of Transportation.
Cross says studies show that boulevard turnarounds reduce the number of crashes and severity. But MDOT has also confirmed that the boulevard's construction has been postponed due to the project's complexity. It was originally reported to start in 2024, but an official start date has yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, for Troell, what she saw this morning will always haunt her.
"I just been in prayer all morning. I'm out of sorts, and it is hard to concentrate at work. And I just hope the family is able to find some peace and more answers that they need," said Troell.
