Trending Topics

Suspect arrested in hit-and-run death of Mich. officer

Wayne County Sheriff’s Sgt. Lee Smith was killed after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash while jogging

wayne-county-sheriffs-sgt-lee-smithpng-1f1bf1d41fba055f.png

Wayne County Sheriff’s Sgt. Lee Smith was struck by a black SUV and killed Tuesday, while jogging.

Photo/Wayne County Sheriff

Nathan Clark
MLive.com, Walker, Mich.

WESTLAND, MI - Police have arrested the driver of the vehicle suspected of hitting and killing an off-duty Wayne County Sheriff’s Office sergeant earlier this week and fleeing the scene.

Wayne County Sheriff’s Sgt. Lee Smith was killed after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash while jogging in Westland at about 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 14.

Details regarding the arrest of the driver were not immediately available and the identity of the driver is not being released at this time.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office is planning to host a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, to release more information about the arrest.

Smith, who lived in the area, was struck and killed on Hines Road near Inkster Road in Westland.

Smith was six months away from retirement after serving 26 years with the county, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon says Smith, the father of one adult son, had a “storied” career with the office. He had worked with the Special Response Team and was assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit at the time of his death.

———

©2018 MLive.com, Walker, Mich.