Dad of driver who fatally struck man on I-696 says he hit pothole

(WJBK) - A man who ran out of gas ends up getting killed during the evening commute on I-696.

His father and young son were with him when it happened - while the father of the at-fault driver says it was an accident.

Tom Piliste's son was the at-fault driver in the three-car crash in Warren Tuesday.

FOX 2: "How is he holding up?"

"Well he's shaken and well like I said, he doesn't want to talk about it," Piliste said.

The crash left a mangled mess of metal on westbound I-696 near Dequindre is where a stranded driver lost his life.

The victim ran out of gas on the freeway and pulled off onto the shoulder. He was filling up his car when another driven by Piliste's son, came speeding in his direction and struck him.

"My understanding is my son was driving home from work and he was on 696 and he hit something on the road, probably a pothole," he said. "And it made him lose all control of his vehicle."

The victim's father was there after bringing his son gas and was sitting in the stranded vehicle with the victim's infant son when the accident happened.

The victim's father is okay as is the baby, but sadly he will grow up without his father.

"It was a most unfortunate accident as I understand," Piliste said.

The at-fault driver was taken into custody and a blood draw was performed at a local hospital. Drugs and alcohol may not have been factors in the crash, but Michigan State Police say speed was.

The at-fault driver is no longer in custody. State police say he could face criminal charges.

Investigators expect to finish their investigation in a few days and pass along their findings to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.