In less than 24 hours, Oxford Village Police located the vehicle they believe was involved in multiple hit-and-run accidents on Sunday afternoon and a suspect.
‘It came together pretty quick,? said Officer David Churchill.
According to Churchill, the vehicle, a blue Ford Taurus made in the late 1990s, was involved in at least two vehicular crashes ? one at Broadway Street and M-24 and another in front of the U.S. Post Office on E. Burdick St.. A vehicle went through the post office’s parking lot and struck another vehicle broadside on E. Burdick St.
This same vehicle may have possibly been involved in a third crash at Drahner and M-24. ‘I am waiting for a call from the person who may or may not have been involved (in the third crash),? Churchill said.
The vehicle police believe is responsible for these crashes has a temporary license plate and front-end damage.
‘Debbie (O’Farrell) up in dispatch was able to call (up) all of the records between (Lake) Orion and Oxford and found a vehicle that fit the description with the issuance of a temporary plate,? Churchill said. ‘The suspect vehicle and possible driver was located at a home in Orion.?
The suspect is a woman in her late 20s. The vehicle was found at her boyfriend’s Orion home, but neither she nor her boyfriend is the registered owner of the car.
Police could not disclose the identity of the Taurus owner.
The woman told police that she was not driving the vehicle when these crashes occurred. However, Churchill said he spoke with a witness who identified this woman as the driver in one of the crashes.
The woman was questioned, but not arrested. She is considered a suspect.
Police are currently seeking witness statements in an attempt to ascertain whether it was a female or male driving the Ford Taurus. Churchill is hopeful more witnesses can be located who can positively identify the driver.
‘Unfortunately, what happens when you get in traffic crashes like that is everybody is (shaken) up. When you’re the victim in it and don’t see it coming, you don’t really pay attention to who hit you because it was so sudden and then they drive off, so you never get a really good look at them,? he said. ‘That’s exactly what happened in this case.?
‘As soon as I can corroborate who was operating the vehicle, I can go ahead and charge them,? he added.
Churchill is hoping to have the case wrapped up sometime this week.