MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Police Department and neighbors on the city’s south side are searching for a white truck and its driver involved in a hit-and-run.
It happened Friday morning at the Howard Ave. and Howell Ave. intersection.
The white truck was turning left onto Howell Ave. when it struck a man walking just after 6:00 a.m.
The man struck has been identified by neighbors and friends as Gary.
Gary lives with autism and is often seen walking all over at all hours of the day.
He frequents gas stations like Faisal Bhimani’s. On Friday morning, he was there just before getting hit.
“One of my customers this morning bought a soda for him,” said Bhimani.
A security camera at the Mobil Gas Station on the corner of Howell and Howard captured the whole incident. However, a license plate could not be read.
An employee there knew it was Gary from a previous social media post about him posted by Faisal. They contacted Bhimani right away for help.
“She called me right away, hoping that I had more information about his phone number, the phone number to his group home, and all that,” said Bhimani. “She called me, and once I saw that video, I knew that was him.”
A representative at the group home confirmed to TMJ4 News that Gary had been hit and was in the hospital but was expected to be okay.
Gary can be seen wobbling and walking away after being hit by the truck.
The driver got out to try and offer assistance. Two other cars also tried to help out, but Gary continued walking away. That’s when the truck driver walked back and drove away.
TMJ4 News went to Gary’s group home to see if he had returned by Friday evening.
His roommate Steven did not know Gary had been hit, and he thought he was still walking.
“I was going to cry,” said Steven McManus when he heard the news. “He became my best friend over the last three months.”
Gary was often seen looking through trash cans and collecting items off the street.
One item he constantly searched for was the tabs on the top of soda cans. He collected jugs of them. They would then be donated to charity organizations like the Ronald McDonald House, according to Steven.
“We call him MC Walks A Lot,” said McManus.
Now, the community is rallying together and through social media to help find who hit Gary.
“This is sad, you know, for someone who is special, someone who needs attention,” said Bhimani.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Milwaukee Police at (414) 935-7262, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips.
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