Hit and run crash leaves 69-year-old South Range man dead
A 69-year-old pedestrian died Wednesday evening, and police are asking for help finding the driver who left the scene.
Michigan State Police Calumet Post troopers responded at about 7:09 p.m. Nov. 11 after someone reported an unresponsive man beside the road in South Range, in Houghton County. They gave him first aid, but he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators determined that a vehicle traveling north on M-26 struck the South Range man. Police believe the crash happened in the crosswalk on the south side of the M-26 and Second Street intersection.
He had left the Campioni Convenience store at about 6:57 p.m., roughly 12 minutes before the first 911 call.
In a Nov. 12 statement, police said, “The suspect’s vehicle likely has damage to the driver’s side headlight and to the front grill/hood area.” Neither the driver nor the vehicle had been identified when police issued the statement.
Anyone with information, including camera footage from the South Range area, is asked to call the Calumet Post at 906-337-5145 or the Michigan State Police Negaunee Regional Communications Center at 866-411-0018.
Insurance after a hit-and-run when the driver is unknown
An unidentified driver doesn't automatically rule out an insurance claim. Optional uninsured motorist coverage may pay damages after a hit-and-run, including one involving a pedestrian, if the person qualifies as an insured and the crash meets the policy's terms. The full policy determines the coverage, proof requirements and reporting deadlines.
Notice deadlines can be short. In DeFrain v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., the Michigan Supreme Court enforced a policy's 30-day hit-and-run notice requirement without requiring the insurer to show that the late notice harmed it. That was the deadline in that policy, rather than a universal deadline for every hit-and-run claim. Notify any potentially applicable insurer promptly and ask a lawyer to review the policy's requirements.
Michigan Legal Center's explanation of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Michigan discusses the policy conditions and losses these optional coverages may address.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates handles pedestrian accident, hit-and-run and wrongful death claims. If a family member died after being hit by a vehicle, contact Michigan Legal Center to ask about the available legal options.
There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.