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RCMP hope driver who killed man will come forward

Penticto nStaff Sgt. Kurt Lozinski of Penticton RCMP is hoping whoever is responsible will come forward.
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RCMP investigators take measurements at the scene where a 28-year-old man's body was found early morning on Aug. 12 at Skaha Lake Road.

While police are asking the public for more help in finding the hit and run driver who struck and killed a 25-year-old city man earlier this month, Staff Sgt. Kurt Lozinski of Penticton RCMP is hoping whoever is responsible will come forward.

“We all understand panicking, but eventually you’ve got to have a conscience,” said Lozinski about the death of Scott Michaud, who died early the morning of Aug. 12. “I think they (person responsible) think they can get away with it but at the end of the day, you look over your shoulder for the rest of your life, how do you live like that?

“It truly would be an accident, if you’re drunk, different story we’ll deal with it, but accidents — that’s why they call them accidents — happen. If the person is laying in the middle of the road and you don’t react quick enough.”

The victim’s body was found about 4:40 a.m. by passersby near the curb in the northbound lane of Skaha Lake Road near Lee Avenue, close to Skaha Lake Park.

“It has become apparent that there are additional witnesses who drove past the location but may not have realized at the time what they saw on the roadway,” said RCMP spokesman Kris Clark in a press release Thursday.

Lozinski added someone coming forward of their own volition would likely make a difference when the matter came before a judge. He added there are some leads but nothing concrete.

Meanwhile, police would like anyone who may have surveillance video or were at the scene or drove past it between 4 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. that day to contact them. Michaud was wearing shorts, a golf shirt, had two backpacks and had a square cooler bag with him.

The victim’s aunt, Sandra Gagnon, who lives in the Lower Mainland said in an email: “I’m devastated about Scott, it’s still hard for me to believe,” adding Michaud’s parents remain very distraught about the matter.

Anyone with information should contact Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.