Bizzare crime spree turns deadly in Pontiac

PONTIAC, Mich. - The daughter of 64-year-old Peter Whittaker -- planning her father's funeral Monday -- says her father always taught her to be a fighter. Now it's her turn to fight for him.

"He would want me to do this. He’d say ‘Sister, don’t’ just make my death in vain,’" says Patricia Whittaker.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says Peter Whittaker -- was driving his Kia Forte down South Blvd. around 7 Sunday morning.

"My dad was leaving his home to go check on his other home around 7-11,” said Whittaker. “His girlfriend said he had just left the house."

That's when police say a 42-year-old White Lake Township man speeding a Ford F-250 pickup ran a red light on Woodward. Whittaker was hit.

Whittaker said, "The car is totaled to pieces. He never would have survived it."

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said, after hitting Peter Whittaker, the suspect got out of the truck and ran off. They believe he had been driving under the influence. Police arrested him later that morning.

The truck belonged to an employee with Makino in Auburn Hills. The Vice President of the company says it was stolen from an employee’s home late Saturday night. The company filed a report with Waterford police.

"Really? My dad was killed and that’s the only thing they can say is, ‘Oh the car is stolen’?” said Patricia Whittaker.

Before the crash, sheriff’s deputies believe the driver used the stolen truck to try and break into businesses in Commerce Township, West Bloomfield and Waterford.

"If a friend gave him the car, whether he took the car from the friend - however it happened, it should have never happened," said Whittaker.

As that driver is expected to be arraigned Tuesday, a similar memorial sits at the same intersection. Peter Whittaker’s daughter said there's no excuse.

"He had a drug problem or he had an alcohol problem... I'm not letting this ride this out. I want him to get whatever he has coming to him.”