Family pleads for answers in Maplewood hit-and-run that killed 56-year-old Mark Koepke
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – The family of a man killed in a hit-and-run says the best gift they could receive this holiday season is justice.
It's been nearly two weeks since somebody hit Mark Koepke while he was out for a late-night walk in his Maplewood neighborhood.
The victim's family needs your help to find the driver responsible for his death.
Asking for help in solving her former husband's death is not how Darice Koepke planned on spending the holidays.
"Losing someone is hard at any time of year, but losing someone at the holidays is extremely difficult for our family," Darice said.
The last time she saw him alive was the night of Dec. 9.
"He doesn't smoke cigars in the house. So I said, 'Where you going?'' He said, 'I was gonna take a walk and finish my cigar.' I asked if he wanted me to join him but I was still in my PJs and he didn't feel like waiting for me. So he just went out for a walk to enjoy a cigar, something that we would often times, you know, take a walk in the neighborhood."
Around 10 p.m. that night, Koepke was found struck by a vehicle by McKnight Road near Margaret Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"They may have stopped briefly but we believe that they hit the victim and took off immediately," said Lt. Joe Steiner with Maplewood Police.
Since then, police have been combing through surveillance video, and know the vehicle they're looking for.
"It's a 2011 to 2020 dark blue Dodge Caravan. It should have front-end damage, specifically front right-end damage," Steiner said.
But police say they need tips to find the person behind the wheel, something that would help Koepke's family – and maybe even the suspect.
"The person that's responsible for this, I honestly can't imagine what nightmares they may be having," Darice said. "Please come forward, clear your conscience … give us some closure."
The Koepke family and Crime Stoppers are offering a $2,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call Maplewood police at 651-249-2608.
