Man dies after being found critically injured on West Liberty
A man was found critically injured on West Liberty early Friday morning.
Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com
A man found critically injured by a passing motorcyclist on West Liberty near Ann Arbor early Friday morning was pronounced dead shortly after rescuers arrived.
The motorcyclist called Washtenaw County Central Dispatch at 2:08 a.m. Friday, and moments later the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department, the Scio Township Fire Department and Huron Valley Ambulance were dispatched to the 4400 block of West Liberty in Scio Township.
The man was pronounced dead at 2:17 a.m. on the scene, according to Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department PIO commander Derrick Jackson said detectives believe the victim was struck by a vehicle. He said alcohol may have been a factor and investigation indicates that the victim may have been lying in the roadway prior to being hit by the vehicle.
"We have responded to several calls reporting that this particular individual was lying in the roadway because he was intoxicated,” Jackson said. “The last one was just a few weeks ago.”
Jackson said the injuries sustained by the victim and the amount of debris left behind by the vehicle indicates that the victim may have been lying in the road before the accident.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the 911 caller was not the person who hit the victim, Jackson said.
The extent of the injuries sustained will be determined after autopsy results come in. Detectives are continuing the investigation.
“Detectives will be looking for distances and speeds to piece together what exactly happened,” Jackson said. “At this point we do not know who the driver of the vehicle is, but they are now a person of interest.”
View West Liberty locator in a larger map
Chelsea Hoedl is an intern reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at choedl@mlive.com.
Comments
SkiBunny123
Sat, Jul 13, 2013 : midnight
I just wanted to comment on something that I think seems to have gotten lost in this story, and the comments that have followed. I happen to have gone to high school with the individual has died in this very sad tragedy. I have known him for several years, but not seen him recently. He was a super athlete in high school, and an all around nice guy. I think it is extremely tragic when life circumstances erode our human character and goals in life. I am sure the deceased here, never expected to have his life turn out this way. And my heart goes out to him, and prayers to his family and friends. No one deserves to die in this manner. I wish peace for all.
AnneM
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 10:09 p.m.
Seems to be a lot of speculation in the write-up, which could be quite misleading and cause people to draw incorrect conclusions. Unfortunate and very sad for loved ones who may read this. This was, I am sure, a well loved man who died in this tragic manner. Would urge more balance and accurate reporting based on facts vs. speculation.
sh1
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 1:52 a.m.
I might be a little slow on the uptake, but was this a hit and run?
Kevin
Mon, Jul 8, 2013 : 5:16 p.m.
Sounds like it. No idea what that might feel like but it might have been something that someone at that stage of the 4th celebration considered to be a bump. I would hope anyone who drove home that way prior to 2am would consider calling police whether they recall a bump or not. Sad anyway.
Ann English
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 11:16 p.m.
Thanks for the map; the story makes more sense with a map that we can zoom in on; thirty years ago, the only roads off Liberty Road on the south side between Zeeb and Wagner Roads were Knight and Bandera; the man's past actions make more sense with Overidge View Court and other subdivisions to the east appearing on the map. Living near where he was hit, or at least having friends living nearby.
James Toy
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
My deepest sympathy to his family and friends and associates--
Jaime Magiera
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 9:21 p.m.
I'm a little unclear on what happened, but condolences to the family and friends of this man and everyone else who was effected by the tragedy. Chelsea, take the criticism here with a gray of salt. Hang in there. You'll find your voice. One suggestion: work on sentence structure. Your article seems written in a way that you would speak to someone. However, the way the phrases are assembled doesn't lend itself to reading as well.
Jaime Magiera
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 10:50 p.m.
Kat, yes, sorry, I was using the speech recognition on my iPad and didn't catch that. Thanks.
kat
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 5:46 a.m.
i concur, but jaime the correct idiom is 'grain of salt'.
Chelsea Hoedl
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 10:26 p.m.
Thank you for the constructive criticism, Jaime. I'm still learning and always appreciate reader input on how to make my writing better. This was a difficult story to write because investigation is still under way and much of the information is still speculation by investigators. Hopefully as more information comes in we will be able to paint a clearer picture.
dfossil
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 7 p.m.
From the history, rather poorly shared this seems more a suicide then accident.
81wolverine
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 4:03 p.m.
"At this point we do not know who the driver of the vehicle is, but they are now a person of interest." Person of interest? I'd say they're a hit-and-run driver who's committed a felony. I hope they find who it is.
southsiderez
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:22 p.m.
This story is confusing in its construction, but I'm sure this was a difficult story to write given the unique set of circumstances and history. I remember being a cub reporter and reporting on crime--it's not easy. Police departments are notoriously difficult to deal with until you're accepted and trusted and are able to develop good sources who will help you out with information gathering. I think an editor could have helped more here, though.
alan
Tue, Jul 9, 2013 : 4:09 p.m.
There's no excuse for not having a competent editor. Unfortunately, that's common today. If they're going to leave you on your own Chelsea, I recommend "Elements of Style" by E.B. White and "Rules for Writers" by Diane Hacker.
southsiderez
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 7:18 p.m.
I'm sure that has something to do with it. I admire annarbor.com's perseverance though...they must run on a shoestring budget. Since A2 is such a small microcosm wih limited ad revenue opportunites, I think it's very difficult for them to run like newspapers in the "old days," with really sharp copy editing, etc.
arborani
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:50 p.m.
Good points. And I'm guessing the editors may have had the long weekend off?
BHarding
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:11 p.m.
A passing motorcyclist found a man critically injured......... makes more sense than A man found critically injured by a passing motorcyclist. My sympathy and condolences to the family.
arborani
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:48 p.m.
Yes - on first reading, I thought the motorcyclist had injured the man.
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 12:24 p.m.
It is sad that an actual human being can end up like this man.
Jen
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 12:21 p.m.
"the victim may have been lying in the roadway prior to being hit by the vehicle." What vehicle? Nothing in the story suggests that this person was hit by a vehicle, although allusions are made to it several times. Is the suspicion that this person was both intoxicated and hit by a car?
Cindy Heflin
Tue, Jul 9, 2013 : 2:06 p.m.
Jen et al.: This is the first sentence of the fourth paragraph: Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department PIO commander Derrick Jackson said detectives believe the victim was struck by a vehicle.
Resident A2
Tue, Jul 9, 2013 : 1:58 p.m.
Wow, give this poor intern a break. Just like student teaching, you learn by doing. Yes, she made a few mistakes, but I'm sure she'll do better on her next article. We don't need to crucify her!
Jen
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.
But the article doesn't describe an accident. It just mentions it indirectly.
chade
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 4:09 p.m.
"Jackson said the injuries sustained by the victim and the amount of debris left behind by the vehicle indicates that the victim may have been lying in the road before the accident."
DanAA
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 12:55 p.m.
Jen, I agree. There is nothing to suggest the victim was hit by a vehicle. My first thought was 1) he was dumped in the roadway after being beaten up critically, or 2) he fell and hit his head. The fact that the victim was hit by a vehicle should be raised earlier in the story. This is a typical example of the 'curse of knowledge'. The writer already believes that the victim was hit by a vehicle, and so assumes the readers also has this knowledge.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 12:08 p.m.
"We have responded to several calls reporting that this particular individual was lying in the roadway because he was intoxicated," Jackson said. "The last one was just a few weeks ago." sadly it would seem this outcome was bound to happen sooner or later.
A2comments
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 11:23 a.m.
Since you don't identify what hit the person, 'the vehicle" should be "a vehicle"... Is Chelsea the intern the only reporter working?
AfterDark
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 11:04 a.m.
Finding someone unresponsive lying in the road was one of the scariest things that ever happened to me. He wasn't obviously injured but was totally unresponsive when I turned my headlights and spotlight directly on him. I was afraid to approach him because I was alone and it was around 3 a.m. in a very dark section of road. He woke up and staggered on home while I was on the phone with 9-1-1.
AfterDark
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 11:15 p.m.
It was a different event, thus the "finding someone" instead of "I saw this guy." My intent was to indicate that someone lying in the street at night is not unheard of around here. Not only that but depending upon what they are wearing and where in the road they are it's possible to not even see them or recognize them as people. In my encounter I didn't even realize it was a person when I first passed him. He was half on the curb and half in the street, wearing a white shirt and dark pants, and in pretty deep darkness in a residential neighborhood. My first thought was that someone had put a roll of carpet out at the curb until I really looked as I passed him.
JBK
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:29 p.m.
After - Are you talking about this victim? Or a different event/victim? It sounds like you are stating that you saw this guy at one point (no date given) and that he got up and staggered home. Your comments are not very clear.
JBK
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:44 p.m.
After - Are you talking about this guy or a different event?
Sam S Smith
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 8:50 a.m.
Special thoughts and prayers for this man, all involved, their families and friends!
Debra
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:59 a.m.
Thank you to the motorcyclist that reported information to the police! My Aunt or the neighbors did not need to see this scene. Thank you for the first responders, I am sure they did all that was possible under the circumstances. These scenes are terrible for first responders. I am sure everything was done to protect his mother and friends from witnessing the same. Prayers for peace for the person that ran over him.
lynel
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:09 a.m.
It's late, it's Friday night, my kids don't want me on the computer at this time , BUT this is the craziest thing I have ever read on annarbor.com
Billy
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:34 a.m.
"We have responded to several calls reporting that this particular individual was laying in the roadway because he was intoxicated," Jackson said. "The last one was just a few weeks ago." Sigh....I guess it was only a matter of time then...
Kent Jocque
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.
The entire quote (including ""The last one was just a few weeks ago") indicates this individual has been seen intoxicated and lying in the road in the past, not just on the night of the tragedy. "We have responded to several calls reporting that this particular individual was lying in the roadway because he was intoxicated," Jackson said. "The last one was just a few weeks ago."
towncryer
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 12:13 a.m.
sorry @jim osborn, i thought they meant they had received several calls over a period of time in the past, not specifically that night. my mistake.
Jim Osborn
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 8:38 p.m.
More than one or two. @towncryer - Please read the article ""We have responded to several calls reporting ..."
towncryer
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 5:39 p.m.
How many people do you think passed by at 2 in the morning out there?
Jim Osborn
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:11 p.m.
Those "who dropped the ball" were all who passed by.
Jim Osborn
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:10 p.m.
This is so sad, multiple people saw him in the road and did not stop and block the road with their cars? I had this happen to my dog when I was 13, and I was almost hit when I retrieved her. The fatal hit came as I dropped her and ran for it. And this was a human being, not a dog. I would have and then I would have gotten out to see if he needed help. If I feared for my safety, then stay in and wait for police. But no one should allow someone to stay on a road like that and get hit. What is wrong with people?
TryingToBeObjective
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:49 a.m.
So was he suicidal, and if so, who dropped the ball in getting him help?
acorn
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:33 a.m.
"[T]he victim may have been laying in the roadway prior to being hit by the vehicle" I believe you meant to say "lying in the roadway."
brian
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 3:29 a.m.
You know what she meant spelling police, get over yourself for correcting this mistake.
Tizz
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:15 p.m.
kudos for the correction!
JBK
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:41 p.m.
Acorn - go easy on her ole' boy. She is an Intern. :)
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 12:07 p.m.
Live long enough and you'll get tired of hearing, "I didn't mean that, I really meant this." The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." – Anais Nin
TinyArtist
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 11:46 a.m.
Thank you, acorn -- someone has to fight the good fight.
Chimay
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 10:25 a.m.
@Anthony ... I agree. I don't crab about AnnArbor.com typically, but this is very poorly written.
Anthony3261
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 7:49 a.m.
This article was just written badly all the way around, "At this point we do not know who the driver of the vehicle is, but they are now a person of interest." should not even been printed
PineyWoodsGuy
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:23 a.m.
I love the English majors who post on this board!
drewk
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 3:04 a.m.
Who really cares? He was on the ground.
Paula Gardner
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 2:18 a.m.
Right you are. That's been changed in the story.
Dirty Mouth
Sat, Jul 6, 2013 : 1:46 a.m.
no, he was laying. :)