PONTIAC – A 26-year-old Pontiac man is in custody tonight, accused of gunning down a snow-plow driver who was actively salting neighborhood streets Saturday night.
Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies on routine patrol just after 7:30 p.m. November 29 discovered 52-year-old Antonio Jason Craig slumped inside his pickup truck, its salt spreader still running and yellow lights flashing, stopped in the middle of Karen Court near Hopkins Avenue.
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Deputies immediately began CPR after finding Craig suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Within two hours, detectives had identified a suspect and tracked the getaway car to the parking lot of a restaurant in nearby Waterford Township.
Undercover units moved in and arrested the 26-year-old without incident just after 9:30 p.m. A firearm was recovered from the vehicle, sources say.
Investigators have not released a motive, but multiple neighbors reported hearing a brief argument followed by several gunshots. One resident told deputies she saw a dark sedan speed away immediately after the shots.
“This man was literally out helping keep our streets safe for the winter, spreading salt for his neighbors, and someone executed him for no reason,” said Sheriff Michael Bouchard in a statement Sunday. “We moved heaven and earth to get this killer off the streets in under three hours.”
The suspect, whose name is being withheld until formal arraignment, is expected to face charges of open murder and felony firearm offenses as early as Tuesday when the case is presented to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Craig, a lifelong Pontiac resident and father of three, operated a small seasonal snow-removal business. Friends have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.
The intersection of Karen Court and Hopkins Avenue remained closed Sunday while crime-scene technicians processed evidence. Anyone with cellphone or doorbell-camera footage is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office.