In the summer of 2022, a verbal altercation in Detroit escalated into a fatal act of violence, claiming the life of Lamar D. Waller. The incident unfolded on July 12, outside the Ace of Spades Gentlemen's Club on Eight Mile Road. An argument erupted between Waller and another man, later identified as 35-year-old James Kimball Jr. Following the dispute, Kimball got into his vehicle, accelerated, and deliberately struck Waller before fleeing the scene.
Emergency services transported Waller to a local hospital to be treated for the severe injuries he sustained in the intentional hit-and-run. Despite medical efforts, Lamar D. Waller, a husband and father, succumbed to his injuries six days later on July 18, 2022. A vigil was later held to honor his memory, where it was revealed that Waller, who worked as a security guard at a nearby club, had intervened when he saw a man harassing a woman. This act of standing up for her is what reportedly angered his assailant.
An investigation into the fatal incident was launched by the Detroit Police Department. A significant break in the case came from a Crime Stoppers tip, which led authorities to the suspect. On a Monday following the incident, police located James Kimball Jr. in Southfield. After a chase, he was apprehended by law enforcement.
Following his arrest, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office formally charged James Kimball Jr. in connection with Lamar Waller's death. He faced a charge of first-degree murder. Kimball was arraigned on August 4, 2022, in 36th District Court and was subsequently remanded to jail. His Probable Cause Conference was scheduled for August 18, 2022, with a Preliminary Examination set for August 25, 2022.
