FRASER, Mich. – When winter weather hits, we want roads and parking lots to be safely clear of snow and ice. But that process led to tragedy in Fraser as a plow driver backed over an 86-year-old woman.
The incident occurred near the intersection of 15 Mile and Hayes roads inside a shopping center with many people coming and going.
UPDATE: No charges yet for plow driver who ran over 86-year-old woman in Fraser parking lot
Officials say the plow driver whipped into the parking lot, pushing snow into a spot. Then they hit reverse and backed up at a fast pace.
Witnesses said they heard something, and then they heard something again, causing them to run outside and help.
“Horrible devastation, upsetting,” said a stylist. “It should have never happened.”
The stylists at Salon Inspire on 15 Mile and Hayes roads in Frasier are still so upset by what happened in the parking lot Tuesday (Jan. 16).
They said they did not want to be on camera, but it was important to them to share what they saw.
The beloved 86-year-old, who was so independent, so sharp, had just gotten her hair done and was walking to her car when Frasier police confirmed the truck from a nearby landscaping business came in to salt the lot and hit her, running over her twice.
“That is when I screamed,” said a stylist. “I went that is a human. I ran out the door and was the first one to her.”
This stylist is still devastated as she and her coworkers tried to help.
“We brought her towels, and we went to get blankets to cover her,” said a stylist.
She says it took a while for the plow driver to get out of the vehicle/
“The first thing he said when he walked out was ‘Please don’t be dead,’” the stylist said. “I am like, ‘You don’t want her to be dead because you are panicking about yourself.’”
The plow driver was arrested on the spot. Police say the 86-year-old was simply heading home.
“She was going to go grocery shopping but decided it was too cold, so she was going to go home and stay warm,” the stylist said.
The driver is in custody as officials await a toxicology report.
Frasier Police Department told Local 4 that they are still investigating the incident, but no charges had been filed yet.
They said they’re going to file them soon, though.
