Teri Singleton is still waiting for answers. It’s been nearly three weeks since her husband, beloved 72-year-old Detroit-area pastor Stephen Singleton, was struck and killed by an illegal immigrant motorist as he crossed Rochester Road in Rochester Hills. A “gravely injured” Singleton, who was wearing a lighted reflective vest and using a crosswalk at the time, was rushed to the hospital. The illegal immigrant behind the wheel of the 2013 Ford Focus that sent him there was questioned by police, then released. “I had to sit and watch my husband of 53 years die in front of me and then to know that the person who did this is walking around is very difficult to deal with,” Teri Singleton told WJBK.
For several days, the Singleton family was left with little more than time to reflect on the pastor’s dedication to serving his community and others in need. Among the memories are the former medic’s efforts to search for survivors and offer spiritual guidance in New York City in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, mission trips to Africa, and driving supplies to survivors of Hurricane Katrina and a deadly Alabama tornado.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office told WXYZ the driver of the vehicle is an illegal immigrant from Columbia who held a valid foreign driver’s license that’s recognized in Michigan. Officials did not release the immigrant’s name, but said neither speed nor alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash, which occurred in a commercial area with a 45 mph speed limit. U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed the 28-year-old driver is in the country illegally, and is now free while awaiting a federal court date, WJBK reports. “He’s dead and they’re walking around,” Teri Singleton said. “That’s bothering me.”
Detroit Pastor’s Family Still Awaiting Answers on Illegal Immigrant Released After Fatal Crash
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