WILLOWICK, Ohio — A man died after a hit/skip outside of the Shoregate Towers apartments earlier this month and a suspect has yet to be identified.
On Monday, December 11 at approximately 7 p.m., Willowick police and fire responded to a report of a man being hit by an unidentified vehicle in the area of Lakeshore Boulevard and Vine Street.
The man was attempting to cross the road when he was hit. The person who hit him fled from the scene without stopping and has not been identified in the 2 weeks following the incident.
The man, identified as 66-year-old Gary Prekel, was taken to Lake West Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
3News' Lydia Esparra was in Willowick to speak to residents of the apartments. Many of those residents have to cross the same road to get to their vehicles after the parking garage at the apartments previously collapsed and remains unfixed.
Pete Gobis knew Prekel well. He says the incident has affected him greatly, "It was awful the fact the he hit him and kept going. It's not right."
Willowick police say they are looking for a blue SUV that hit Prekel, but other details on the potential suspect have not come to light. They ask anyone with information related to this incident to contact the Willowick Police Department.
Previous Coverage of the Shoregate Towers apartments:
- Willowick Building Department files 45 charges against owner of Shoregate Towers
- 6 weeks after Willowick parking garage collapse, little has changed for Shoregate Towers residents
- 3 weeks after parking garage collapse at Shoregate Towers apartments in Willowick, tenants don't have access to answers or their cars