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Innocent driver killed in Macomb County police chase
A father of two was hit and killed while driving for Uber early Saturday in Warren. Roseville police were chasing a 16-year-old who had allegedly stole a car when Alex Habib was hit.
WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - A teen driver allegedly fleeing Roseville police early Saturday continued into Warren, where he ran a red light and hit and killed an innocent father who was driving for Uber.
Roseville police said the chase started after a report of a stolen Hyundai Sonata in their city.
The backstory:
According to Roseville police, officers received a report about the stolen car around 2:40 a.m. and tried to stop the car in the area of I-94 and Gratiot. However, the driver fled and led officers on a chase.
That pursuit continued onto westbound I-696 before the driver exited at Hoover and continued on 11 Mile until the driver ran a red light and crashed into a Ford Fusion at Van Dyke. Family and friends identified the driver of the Fusion as Alex Habib, a 28-year-old father of two who was driving for Uber at the time.
Alex Habib and his family (GoFundMe)
Habib, of Madison Heights, was taken to a hospital, where he died. The driver of the stolen Sonata, a 16-year-old Detroit boy, was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries before being taken to the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center.
Dig deeper:
Roseville police said they believe the teen driver is part of an organized theft ring targeting people in Macomb County.
Though police did not say if the car thefts were connected, Saturday's deadly chase is the second chase involving teens in a stolen car to end with a crash in just a few days. Last Wednesday, Warren police were pursuing a stolen Kia occupied by four juveniles when the driver crashed into a Hazel Park Brayz.
What's next:
Warren police are investigating the crash, while the Roseville Police Department is doing an internal review of the chase.
Police are expected to pursue charges against the teen driver.
What they're saying:
Habib is being remembered as a loving father and a man who would lift the spirits of those around him.
"We've got a tight team. When you do restaurants the right way, they're families," said Tom Brady, the owner of Jim Brady's, where Habib worked. "He's just one of those guys, when he's in the building, he just brought everybody up a couple of clicks."
Habib leaves behind a wife and two young children.
The Source: Information in this article is from Roseville police, Jim Brady's owner Tom Brady, and a GoFundMe page.
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