A Detroit police officer heading home after work was killed early Sunday when his vehicle rolled over after being struck by a van that had made an illegal turn and then fled the scene.
Detroit Police Officer Cameron Richardson died in a crash Sunday, Jan. 5, 2024 just after midnight while he was heading home from work.
Officer Cameron Richardson, 32, died in the hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Hoover and Greiner, near Seven Mile Road, on the city’s northeast side. Police said they have identified a suspect as the driver of the van and are seeking to arrest him.
At a news conference Sunday afternoon, interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said Richardson was heading home after his shift at the 9th Precinct and was northbound on Hoover at Greiner when his vehicle was struck by a white van whose driver made an illegal turn. Richardson’s vehicle rolled over from the impact, and the driver of the van fled the scene.
“This is definitely a tragic day for the department,” Bettison said.
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The suspect, a 28-year-old who was not named at the news conference, has been identified by the police but is not in custody.
“He hasn’t turned himself in, we will have him shortly,” Bettison said. “We are in close contact with the suspect’s family and we believe he will turn himself in.”
Shortly after the crash, Michigan State Police troopers located the van near the scene. There was a weapon found in the front seat. Two people who were in the van were taken into custody, though the driver had fled, police said.
Richardson served in the military for 10 years before working for the Detroit police. He had been on the force for about a year, and he leaves behind two daughters, ages 12 and 14.
Breaking news reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Off-duty Detroit police officer dies in hit-and-run crash