SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Shelby Township family is desperate to find the person who killed their son on New Year's Day.
Ben Kable was just 22 years old when a person hit him with their car on Rochester Road just south of Whims Lane early Monday morning and drove off.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is hoping a description of the car and driver may lead to an arrest.
"It's just your worst nightmare and there is nothing you can do," said Mike Kable, the victim's father.
The Kabel family is entering the new year with excruciating heartbreak. Their son, a budding Michigan State University senior, was run over by someone and then left behind.
"There was a witness who called 911, alerted the authorities and he was killed on the scene — pretty gruesome," Mike Kable said.
Mike Kabel says Ben, was hit after he got out of an Uber on Rochester Road. He had left a New Year's Eve party just before 6 a.m. the next day. It's unclear why he didn't get dropped off at home.
"There's no sidewalks there, there's no lights, not even a decent shoulder, no place to really walk," Mike Kabel said. "He didn't have a winter coat on even, so it was a bad place to throw him out, basically."
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says a witness described the driver as a woman in her mid-30s.
The car is believed to be a BMW 300 series between 2012 and 2019 and possibly white. It is likely damaged with one of its two grills missing. There could also be impact to the bumper.
"Accidents happen and what makes it even worse is what happened after," Mike Kabel said. "We just want the public to help spot the vehicle."
For now, it's just a waiting game.
The family sorely misses Ben, who was staying at home for the holiday break.
"I'm so glad we got a chance to be with him and one of his older brothers lives in Japan and was back, so he got to see him," Mike Kabel said.
Mom, dad and sister say they'll miss his blacksmithing in their garage, the way he lit up when caught a big fish and, above all, his kindness.
"We are going to celebrate having Ben for 22 years and do our best to give him a good send-off and keep him close to our hearts," Mike Kabel said.
The family says they don’t want vengeance, just closure and accountability.
