HOUGHTON LAKE – On November 4, 2023, Deputies were sent to a hit-and-run accident at the corner of N. Flint Rd. and School Rd. in Markey Township.
According to a statement from the Roscommon County Sheriff Department, deputies arrived and found one vehicle left at the scene containing Anthony Pellerito, the driver and sole occupant.
Pellerito, a 69-year-old man who lived near the accident scene, was transported to the hospital for treatment. He later died of his injuries while under hospital care.
Through evidence at the scene and witness statements, accident investigators determined that Pellerito was south bound on North Flint Rd in his mini-van, when a black Ford F-150 pickup truck failed to yield at a stop sign while traveling east on School Rd. The suspect vehicle went through the stop sign and into the intersection and struck Pellerito’s vehicle, sending it rolling and into a ditch on North Flint Road.
The suspect vehicle then continued east on School Rd, failing to stop and fleeing the scene.
A suspect and vehicle were not immediately identified in this incident, and the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office reached out via social media for assistance in solving this crime. Investigators continued to work tirelessly, investigating this incident since that time.
In May, a felony warrant was issued for Keith Gerard Finnerty of Houghton Lake by the Roscommon County Prosecutor’s Office. Finnerty was arrested and posted bond on charges of:
- Failure to Stop at the Scene of a Fatal At-Fault Accident
- Homicide – Manslaughter with a Motor Vehicle
- Tampering with Evidence in a Criminal Case.
Finnerty was arraigned June 6 in 82nd District Court on these charges by Judge Mary Beebe. Finnerty remains on bond and is scheduled for future court hearings.
