Man to be charged in hit-run

11 were hurt Sunday at Southfield church; police find no link between
Troy man and group members

The Detroit News
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

By Mike Martindale

SOUTHFIELD — A Troy man expected to be charged today in a weekend
hit-and-run incident that injured 11 people apparently has no links or
ties to the group, police said.

Police say a 1994 Plymouth Voyager drove into a crowd behind Alex
Manoogian School at St. John’s Armenian Church around 2 p.m. Sunday.

Four adults and seven children were injured as they tried to scramble
out of the way of the vehicle, which witnesses said accelerated toward
the group and plowed through three inflatable Moonwalk children’s
events, then sped away.

The suspect was arrested at his home in Troy.

“We have been unable to establish any link between him or anyone that
was attending the event,” said Southfield Police Detective Sgt. John
Harris. “From interviews with him, officers could find no reason for him
to target them.”

Harris noted two individuals, a 42-year-old Allen Park man and a
32-year-old West Bloomfield man, jumped on the vehicle in an effort to
get to the driver or the vehicle’s keys.

“The Allen Park man injured his right hand attempting to break out a
window,” said Harris, adding the man was dragged nearly 70 feet before
he was either thrown or fell from the Voyager.

The names of those taken to area hospitals were not released by police,
and the extent of their injuries were unknown. No one had
life-threatening injuries, and most of the victims were treated and
released.

Among them: a 35-year-old Farmington Hills woman who suffered a broken
pelvis while holding her 3-year-old son; a 41-year-old Farmington Hills
woman who fractured an ankle; a 13-year-old Waterford girl (right knee);
8-year-old Oak Park girl (ankle); 9-year-old Southfield girl (arm);
8-year-old Hamtramck boy (scrapes, bruises); 10-year-old Oak Park boy
(stomach pain); 7-year-old boy (ankle); 6-year-old girl (leg).

You can reach Mike Martindale at (248) 647-7226 or mmartindale@detnews.com.

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