ANN ARBOR (WWJ) - An elderly man that was struck and killed by a snowplow during a major winter storm has been identified by police in Ann Arbor one week after the tragic incident.
Bahman Ashrafi, 80, was pronounced dead at the University of Michigan hospital after sustaining "significant head trauma" from being struck by a 58-year-old Ann Arbor man plowing snow around 7:10 p.m. on Friday, March 3.
Ashrafi lived at Lurie Terrace, 600 W. Huron St. The crash happened in the 500 block of the same road.
According to Ann Arbor police, the snow plow driver had his vehicle in reverse when he hit the 80-year-old man. The driver told officers that we was not aware that had hit anything until a witness to the crash flagged him down.
The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with police. At this time, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the incident.
At the time of the crash, snow had been accumulating for several hours as a "blockbuster" winter storm bared down on Southeast Michigan. Snowfall rates in Washtenaw County approached 2 or more inches per hour, causing near impossible travel and treacherous conditions.
Just before 10 p.m. last Friday, Ann Arbor police issued an alert on social media, stating that driving through the city was extremely hazardous as a "majority of local roads are or may become impassible" due to the weather.
On Saturday, March 4, a woman was struck and killed outside her vehicle on I-96 in Detroit after an unlicensed driver lost control on the snowy road and crashed into the victim.
