The Autopian has on multiple occasions been able to help law enforcement identify cars involved in hit-and-run incidences, so let’s see if we can put together our collective car-nerd-brains and figure out what this blurry white car is.
A reader named Thomas sent us this Facebook post by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office asking for information about a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run in Canton Township in Ohio.
“Stark County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash” reads the title of the post, which goes on to say: “CANTON, Ohio – The Stark County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying the driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred in Canton Township.”
It all happened on June 15 of this year at 10:40 PM, when a 39-year-old was “struck by a vehicle in the 1600 block of Shepler Church Avenue SW. The vehicle fled, leaving the victim fatally injured. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies believe the suspect vehicle is a white sedan with front-end damage, as shown in the posted photos.”
I reached out to the sheriff’s office, and Operations Division Commander Major Ryan M. Carver told me his team had “narrowed down the make and model to a handful of possibilities but are certainly open to suggestions. The photos that we have released are the best quality that we have to this point.”
Deputy Kurtis Johnson replied to that email with: “We also recovered a wiper, a 15-inch passenger side wiper blade on the scene. I took it to Autozone and they suggested a 2013-2017 Nissan Sentra, as it is the only similar vehicle whose manufacturer calls for that size.”
Take a look at the rest of the photos below. What do you think? Do you think it’s a Sentra?
What features can you identify in these blurry photos? You can see it’s a whit sedan with prominent orange parking lights up front, and the taillights seem to wrap pretty far forward towards the front of the car; the CHMSL also seems fairly high mounted, in keeping with the second two letters of its acronym. But there are lots of sedans whose features match these; is there something in these pictures that definitely gives this away?
There’s nothing in the screen grabs that precludes it being a Sentra, and the windshield wiper matches
If Ohio didn’t spend all their law enforcement budget on teenager state troopers pulling over every out of state plate, they may have the investigators needed to solve this on their own.
I feel bad for the victim and his family, but Ohio can eat all the d*cks, IMHO.
Yes, Ohio police can… eat my shorts…? Am I allowed to say that here?
I’m going to guess… Ford Fusion with a black roof wrap and aftermarket taillights lol
https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Fusion-Animation-Sequential-Assembly/dp/B0B2Z6Q5S7
We’re in a world where we can get free porn in 4k, see a capsized ship in North Korea from space – but we can’t get more than 12 pixels on security cameras where the resolution is actually important for even a basic identification of what happened? Ugh.
I work in the foodservice industry, and I spent many years working with Aloha POS. I would always joke that we have devices in our pockets that can do amazing things for $800- why are we paying for these giant, poorly responsive and archaic POS terminals? Replacements are in the thousands of dollars!
The cutline of the windows at the C-pillar and the CHMSL location say that it’s the Sentra, matching the investigators’ guesses.
Is there a reason the video isn’t available? Seeing it in motion might actually allow for clarity of specific features.
I just can’t get past an early 2000’s BMW 3 or 5 Series. They have the side markers just above and behind round headlights. The rear side markers are immediately above the red of the tail lights. Their CHSML light is in the top of the rear window as well.
https://www.edmunds.com/bmw/5-series/2004/review/
I think it’s a Kia Optima.
You have to compensate for elongated light patterns due to motion. Once you do that, placement of lights reminds me of an Optima. The size fits, and my initial gut said Camry, until I considered light placement more carefully.
I was heading down the same path, but apparently they have 24-26” & 18” wiper blades.
That’s a ding against this theory, but not a sure thing. It could be from a different car, OR the owner might have had it around from a previous car / picked up from the discount bin out of a store, decided it’s “close enough” and mounted it on it.
Same, I started from Camry and landed on the Forte, but the Optima fits better.
Resembles a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora.
Yeah the closeness of the headlights had me thinking Alero, but the CHMSL on both isn’t as high as the pics. Something newer.
Based on my walk home today, very few 2010ish midsized or full sized sedans gave high mounted CHMSLs. The only ones I spotted with that light location was a Chevy Impala and a Volvo S40
Unless the image is very distorted, that shot of the high CHMSL is messing me up. The only ones I could find are German (which don’t seem to fit), with the exception of the Chevrolet Malibu. Any takers?
I was thinking Kia Stinger for similar reasons.
Stinger rear side markers are low at the bumper cut line, these seem higher.
Stinger side markers are part of the tail light in the quarter panel. It’s the rear reflectors that you see down in the bumper.
https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/2019-kia-stinger-rear-1541617040.jpg
These screengrabs almost always have some motion blur and distortion when cars are moving, this has been a pain for a while. I usually have to go on “initial gut feel” but proportions are so important, any stretching can mess it all up.
Maybe a 2020 Chevy Malibu with the high mounted brake light?
Indeed, I think this is the best clue. That narrows it down to that generation Malibu, and unlikelier options of other GM sedans from yesteryear, and certain Altimas and Chrysler 300s depending on trim level and year, but the 300 is automatically out based on looks.
So this is either an Altima or a Malibu. My strong inclination is that it’s a Chevrolet Malibu.
Malibu doesn’t have a 15″ passenger wiper. Chevy SS or the G8 do
Considering the posts so far, if the car is indeed a Camry, Sentra, or Civic, law enforcement will be looking for a needle in a haystack.
Could be an ES300/350. Which also doesn’t narrow it down.
I have a white Camry. I have to hold the panic button down in the parking lot to figure out which one is mine.
I cannot tell which Camry is mine either!
Try metallic.
I have some fairly exotic xjagd camo, but it can’t beat a Camry in plain sight!
Camry center brake lights aren’t placed there, neither is ES.
It seems to have the CHMSL at the top of the rear window instead of the package tray based on this. I don’t have a guess what car this is but that seems like a pretty big clue.
First thing I thought was a Camry but that’s a tough call with those photos.
It definitely looks like a newer (2020) Sentra or Altima SR witht he 2 tone.
The challenge is the general outline is to vague but it has a Nissan Feel. ( no real reason to explain but that was my first gut check)
Benny Butler has another good idea with the 2 tone Camry but something is off witht he proportions.
https://blogmedia.dealerfire.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/376/2022/04/2022-Nissan-Sentra-in-Monarch-Orange-Metallic-at-night-parked-in-front-of-an-office-building_o.jpg
Seems to be split between Camry and Sentra/Altima Hard to tell size. Could it be a white 2012 Corolla?
Those Sentras and Altimas don’t have the CHMSL mounted toward the top of the rear window though.
Yeah, here’s your car…
https://www.formulaimports.com/imagetag/2604/3/l/Used-2020-Toyota-Camry-XSE-PANORAMIC-ROOF-BLACK-ACCENTS-NAVIGATION-LED-FOG-LIGHTS-1669148004.jpg
I think you nailed it.
The yellow around the headlights looks like a lot older Camry. Almost like my ancient XV30. The back looks right for a 2023 or so, but the front looks about 20 years older.
And the headlight color seems too warm for any recent camry, although that could be from the camera and not the lights. I agree with you, the front looks off, but everything from the side and rear seems to fit. Even the small curved glass on the rear doors.
Yeah, I’m thinking maybe something like a 10 year old instead of a 5 year old Camry. Hmmm.
I think actually the answer might be an ES300/350. I think the 2012-2015 without the giant thimble might be the right answer.
It’s got more yellow on the sides of the headlights and more swoopy tail lights than a similar year Camry.
With the pictures we have, it would be hard to tell a Camry from a ES300/350. It might actually have the giant thimble and that lines up well with the 2015-2018. Except that black roof sort of screams Camry or Nissan.
Those Camrys don’t have the CHMSL mounted toward the top of the rear window though.
Sentra is certainly on brand, but I don’t think that’s the answer
As is the high beams on at all times, a key part of BAE. Though I tend to agree, the blur makes it tough, but the car looks a bit too big to be a sentra….seems more midsize.
I’m leaning toward a late model Camry, they have those swoopy taillights that wrap up the sides a little, and the center brake light is at the top of the rear window, not the bottom/deck lid, which jives with the photos.
However the 15″ wiper doesn’t fit (google says Camry takes a 26/20″ pair), I wonder how sure they are that was indeed ripped off the suspect car vs just random junk on the road. Modern cars have the wipers pretty well recessed behind/under the hood for aero, so unless the wipers were actually on at time of impact (was it a rainy night?), I’d think it rather unlikely for it to have been ripped off by a pedestrian impact.
And they took it to Autozone to have it identified…it could very well be 20 inches.
lol
Miata Is Always The Answer…
If that top is black paint, I’d say Camry. They also have a small light point. If the front LED’s flicker light crazy is def a camry.
I’m feeling Camry as well, however, the lights look too large. Almost looks like the old Camry lights like my old XV30 on a much more recent vehicle.
1998+ Dodge Intrepid perhaps?
https://platform.cstatic-images.com/in/v2/stock_photos/492c9f82-4d44-49c4-b6de-b723274e590a/777523c6-01ef-4794-b0bc-a2d46935a363.png
https://bigiron.blob.core.windows.net/thumbnail/items/e57c04dd8527475ba0821d154013a7a9/1998dodgeintrepidpassengercar_6c5e3a4832e24a4789b0b7bbecbcb121.jpg
The tail lights didn’t creep that far into the side body work on those. That’s a newer automotive trend
That real side marker light says Kia Stinger, but the wiper blade doesn’t fit. Unless the wiper blade was at the scene previously and not related to the crime car.
The stinger has a rear light bar though so I dont think thats it
Not much to go by but it could be a Buick Lucerne. The 6th image isn’t as blurry and gives a pretty good look from the side. The back of the greenhouse is sort of rounded in a way that might not be all too common. Also the light configuration matches.
My best guess is previous gen Camry. It looks like the trim with the black roof. It has that distinctive notch behind the rear door. The thing throwing me off is the headlights, those don’t look quite right for a Camry
I thought that too but when I look at the multiple angles it makes me think the black roof and notch are just artifacts in the image
7th Gen Honda Civic? Streak of taillight is a bit deceiving.
I don’t see anything telling me it’s NOT a Sentra, even though at first I thought about an older Lexus GS.
In the last few pics, it does looks like it’s slammed on big wheels, so that might be a good lead. Heavily modded cars stick out much more than just a regular car.