Crime & Safety

West Bloomfield Man Linked to I-696 Death

A West Bloomfield resident reportedly flagged down an Ohio police officer Thursday to report that he struck a pedestrian in Farmington.

A West Bloomfield resident told a North Ridgeville, OH, police officer that he was among several motorists who struck a pedestrian killed Thursday morning on Interstate 696 near Farmington Road, according to ChronicleOnline.com, a Lorain County, OH-based news source. 

The Detroit Free Press reported Thursday afternoon that the victim was Bloomfield Township resident Daniel E. Armitage, 41, an Ann Arbor firefighter. 

A motorist who tried to avoid the crash, along with his two children, also suffered injuries, the newspaper reported. 

Find out what's happening in West Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

ChronicleOnline.com reported the West Bloomfield man didn't stop until he reached Ohio because he at first believed he had struck a deer. The man’s wife then called him to tell him about seeing the accident on the news, he said.

Motorists told  early Thursday that West 12 Mile Road and I-696 were "parking lots" as police investigated the accident. WJBK-TV, Channel 2, reported that westbound I-696 was closed at Orchard Lake Road, Telegraph and Northwestern Highway. The interstate reopened before 1 p.m.

Find out what's happening in West Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The victim was changing a tire when he was struck by several cars, according to multiple reports. The Free Press reported that the accident scene stretched 100 yards down the highway.

Michigan State Police ask that anyone with information about the accident call 248-584-5740.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from West Bloomfield