Name of 29-year-old man discovered dead near wrecked SUV released
Abdiaziz Osman died following a traffic accident when his Hyundai Santa Fe went into a ditch off Plymouth Road. The SUV and Osman's body were discovered on Oct.25.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Osman was discovered dead at approximately 9:50 a.m. Oct. 25 in a wooded area near Penske Truck Rental, 1621 Plymouth Road. According to his death certificate received by AnnArbor.com Wednesday, his death has been ruled an accident and he died from multiple traumatic injuries suffered in the crash.
All the details on the crash that killed Osman are still unknown; the Ann Arbor Police Department’s detective bureau continues to investigate the incident and the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s report is still not completed, according to Detective Lt. Bob Pfannes.
Pfannes said Wednesday that report is expected to be completed in mid-December or January. At that time, the investigation will likely be closed and more details should become available.
Munira Osman, sister of Abdiaziz Osman, remembered him as a very social person who always made others smile.
“If you were in a down mood, he was the type of person you couldn’t be serious around,” she said. “He was such a positive person with no negative aura.”
Abdiaziz Osman was discovered by city workers who went to the area in front of Penske Truck Rental to replace a fire hydrant on Oct. 25. The workers went looking for the old fire hydrant and found the Hyundai Santa Fe and Osman’s body in a heavily wooded area.
Munira Osman said her brother was heading back to her home on Green Road, a short distance away from the accident site. The exact date of the accident has not been released.
During the ensuing period, Osman's family and police searched for him. Munira Osman said the family barely slept and looked for him every day. After his body was discovered, Munira Osman was with her family in Minnesota, where she had gone in hopes her brother had returned to the state, and got a call from Ann Arbor police telling her to return to the city.
“We drove back that same night, a 12-hour ride, and we made some stops, my family all came,” she said. “It was just sad. This was the time I was mourning and trying to make myself OK with that.”
She said her family was baffled and saddened by the fact her brother was in the wooded area for a long period of time and no one noticed. She said it wasn’t fair to him.
Reeds in the wooded area were between 6 and 10 feet tall and police had to call in the Ann Arbor Forestry Department to clear away foliage in order for them to remove the Santa Fe.
Abdiaziz Osman was buried the day after his body was discovered, Munira Osman said.
“We all believe we’re going to die and go back to God,” she said. “When they buried my brother, that’s when I felt content, because he was at peace.”
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
YpsiYapper
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 1:52 p.m.
Pure speculation on my part but this is what I think happened. I drive this area frequently. He was more then likely headed eatsbound on Plymouth Road at a high rate of speed. The area where this happened is not well lit. There is a very sharp curve on Plymouth Road that bears to the right just west of the Penske Truck Rental Business. There are not yellow signs along the norht side of the curve with arrows warning there is a curve in the road. I have seen these types of signs in other places where curves are. Also the lane markings could use a good painting with reflective material. I think he totally missed the curve, there was no traffic coming from the opposite direction and he drove across the oncoming lanes and straight in to the brush. Check ot the area and you may see it is the only thing that makes sense. There is without a doubt need for reflective road sign posts on the north side of the roadway with arrows warning a curve is right there. I could see something like this happening again very easily. Is there were oncoming traffic this situation could have turned out much worse then it already is. He had to be moving at a high rate of speed and more then likely never saw what he drove in to. The vehicle was quite a ways in to the brush and down in a ditch.
Jatra
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 2:06 p.m.
I think that is a reasonable scenario ypsiyapper. I would make one adjustment given the damage described to the vehicle, I think the young man noticed the curve late and oversteered causing the SUV to roll through the oncoming lane and into the ditch. In any event I agree with your call for better signage (especially helpful for drivers new to the area) and I think a guardrail may even be in order. It is a tragedy to lose someone so young and in this way. My condolences to the family. I hope this sad event results in road improvements that will avert a similar accident in the future.
YpsiYapper
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 1:56 p.m.
Excuse the typos before the comments start ! (Eastbound*, North*, and it*)
Matt
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 1:41 p.m.
It's downright frightening that within a city, you can crash your car and not be discovered for such a long time.
Osman
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 12:48 a.m.
Yes it is Matt...but then again your local AAPD believed nothing could have been done.
JRW
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:32 a.m.
"She said her family was baffled and saddened by the fact her brother was in the wooded area for a long period of time and no one noticed. She said it wasn't fair to him." The car was in a ditch, hidden by brush and vegetation. No one could see the car from the road. How is this unfair?
Osman
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
Well then you just must not be human to think its not unfair to have to bury a badly decomposed body of your loved one. We are not looking for your sympathy but if you have nothing nice to say then remain silent. Thank you.
ArthGuinness
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 4:39 a.m.
Geez, these posts are getting more asinine by the minute. Open your mind and try to think of possible interpretations of the word 'fair' here. She might have just meant it wasn't a fitting end to a good life. My condolences to the family for both the tragedy and the insipid commentators.
brian
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:52 a.m.
show a little compassion, she lost a loved one.
genetracy
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 2:56 a.m.
I had no idea so many criminologists and crime scene experts read AnnArbor.com.
jen777
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 12:30 a.m.
I think some of you are working too hard at making this a conspiracy or ineptness. Unfortunately, I think this was a case of an accident (probably high speed), and the wreckage was away from road and not where folks would think to look. Just let it go......and let the family finish their grieving and the police review their actions. I am sure there was nothing sinister in this and it doesn't automatically imply some mistake by the police
Momma G
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 10:22 p.m.
Hopefully the police investigation will clear up the questions regarding this man and there not being a missing person alert put out. Something smells fishy about this whole thing.
genetracy
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 2:57 a.m.
The black helicopters are circling.
CONCERNED CITIZEN
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 8:49 p.m.
I agree with "youwhine" why are they going to Minnesota to look for him????????something is missing.............
brian
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:50 a.m.
Put yourself in their place, if you can. You would try anything to find your love one.
Enso
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 9:15 p.m.
oops, there goes THAT conspiracy theory. Nice try tho.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 9:02 p.m.
CONCERNED CITIZEN - His family is from Minnesota.
FrankOZ
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
I think it's awful that this young man suffered alone like this. My heart breaks for the family. I do want to say, though, that if anyone had seen him any time after the accident, they would have most certainly helped. I, too, lost a brother many years ago. He passed away in his yard. I never held any anger toward his neighbors. They just didn't see him. I know if they had, they would have made very effort to help him.
Osman
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 12:36 a.m.
I understand FrankOZ and my family and I are not blaming anyone, it's just heartbreaking that his life ended in such a horrible situation. We just wish we found him sooner and buried him right away. The condition he was found in is just something I can never get over.
Em
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:54 p.m.
"During the ensuing period, Osman's family and police searched for him. Munira Osman said the family barely slept and looked for him every day." I'm wondering how it took so long for them to figure out who this was AND that we hadn't heard a news/police alert about a missing person when it happened? So strange! What a sad situation!
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:59 p.m.
Em- Police said the night he was found that they had identified him. The family was aware he was missing, however no missing persons report was filed - as I understand it - because an adult is allowed to go voluntarily missing if he/she wants to. I believe at the time it wasn't clear if this was the case or if Mr. Osman was in danger, which may explain the lack of an alert.
HONDO
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:48 p.m.
Such a weird case.....
Osman
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 12:33 a.m.
Yes it is and I pray it never happens to anyone's loved one.
Lisa
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
My prayers go to this man's family.
Osman
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 12:32 a.m.
Thank you Lisa
Joker Man
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:33 p.m.
Is the date of Mr. Osman's accident known?
Joker Man
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:33 p.m.
brian, knowing the date of the accident could help others piece things together for the family and maybe even help the community at large prevent accidents like this. Somebody could have saw/heard something that day...
brian
Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:48 a.m.
Why does that matter? Prayers to the family.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Nov 28, 2012 : 7:36 p.m.
Police haven't released the official date of the accident to me, but I would speculate that it is known. However, that is just speculation on my part.