Oil change on gratiot and linnhurst

A 28-year-old Oxford man is facing two felony charges for allegedly hitting and killing a man with his vehicle in Detroit on Sept. 11, then leaving the scene.

Matthew Christian Bockart was arraigned Saturday in 34th District Court in Romulus on one count of reckless driving causing death and one count of failure to stop at an accident, when at fault, resulting in death. Bond was set at 10 percent of $50,000 and it has been posted. One of the conditions of Bockart’s release is he must wear a GPS tether.

Bockart is accused of hitting and killing Aubrey Blakely, 65.

Blakely was standing on the side of the road, holding a sign promoting an oil change business, when Bockart allegedly jumped the curb, struck him and killed him near the intersection of Gratiot Ave. and Linnhurst St. on Detroit’s east side. Bockart then allegedly kept going.

The incident was reportedly captured by a surveillance camera.

Assisted by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Detroit Police arrested Bockart the next day on Nuttal Branch in the Lake Villa Manufactured Home Community. Bockart’s red-colored Chevrolet Equinox was taken as evidence, according to the sheriff’s report.

Bockart has a probable cause conference set for Sept. 24 and is scheduled to have a preliminary examination on Oct. 1 in Detroit 36th District Court.

DETROIT

The Detroit News

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Detroit — A 29-year-old Lapeer County man suspected in a fatal hit-and-run last week on Detroit's east side was arrested in northern Oakland County and given a $5,000 bond on two felony charges at his arraignment Saturday.

The crash that took place about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, in the area of Gratiot and Linnhurst, killed a 65-year-old man named Aubrey Blakely. A local media account said Blakely was "working to promote business" for an oil change shop with his friends when he was hit.

Blakely died of multiple injuries,per the Wayne County Medical Examiner.

Police said they pursued a suspect up to Oxford, in northern Oakland County. 

The suspect, Matthew Bockart, 29, of Attica was arraigned Saturday on charges of reckless driving causing death, and failure to stop at the scene of an at-fault crash resulting in death. He was given a bond of $50,000/10 percent.

As of Monday morning, Bockart was still an inmate at Wayne County Jail. If he were to make bond, he's prohibited from buying or possessing guns, from using drugs and/or alcohol, and would have to wear a GPS tether. 

Bockart is due for a probable cause conference on Sept. 24 and a preliminary examination on Oct. 1, both before Judge Kenyetta Jones. 

"He came to work at 11 p.m. We saw him coming in with a smile on his face, and now he ain't going home," said Bryant Burt.

Coworkers watched in horror as one of their own, a 65-year-old man, was killed in a hit and run.

"That's a sucker move to hit somebody like that and just keep going," Burt said.

Cameras at the Express Quick Lube Auto Repair on Gratiot near Linnhurst show the victim standing near the entrance to the oil change shop holding a sign to get customers' attention. 

"No nonsense, came to work, did what he's supposed to do. When fire trucks passed by he saluted them," Burt said.

The same cameras capture the moment a maroon SUV crashed into him.

"We heard a boom and when I turned around I saw him rolling. I went out there, and he was lifeless," Burt said.

An ambulance arrived in seconds, but they were unable to revive him. Police are not sure what caused the driver to leave the road and strike the victim. 

"It's almost like he took aim, I don't know if he was looking down at his phone or if it was a mistake, it was a mistake. Just turn around and say it was a mistake," Burt said.

Others attempt to chase the suspect down, but weren't able to keep up. 

"The people who did what they had to do to make sure that this guy is locked up maybe ,they did what they had to do. We appreciate ya'll and I'm pretty sure his family is going to appreciate it too," Burt said.

Police are asking anyone with information on who might have been behind the wheel of the red or maroon SUV to give them a call. 

DETROIT – Video shows a man who was standing on the side of the road get hit and killed by a driver who swerved into him and kept going.

The incident happened Wednesday afternoon on Gratiot Avenue and Linnhurst Street in Detroit. By the time an ambulance arrived to the scene there was little anyone could do to save the man who was left bleeding on the street.

"Knocked him 10 foot in the air, 50 feet down, and came head first. I know it's too much information, but he was just a neighborhood guy trying to make a living," witness Frank Fred said.

Witnesses said the victim often stood at a corner holding a sign, trying to drum up business for an oil change shop nearby.

"He tried to dance, sing, move the sign," Fred said

It's unclear if the victim ever saw the out of control truck coming his way, but surveillance video shows the vehicle jump the curb, hit the man, and keep going.

A driver in a white SUV saw the driver leave the scene and made a U-turn in another lot, trying to get the burgundy truck to pull over.