Joshua Conant honored at Port Huron car show

Joshua Conant, who was known for his love of cars and car shows before his death in November, was honored at a car show in downtown Port Huron Friday.

Mike Mcnutt, who organizes a Facebook page for automobile lovers called "Cruising Port Huron in the 70s 80s 90s," devoted Friday's show to Conant. The group meets once a month from April until September to show off their vehicles in downtown Port Huron.

Mcnutt said he knew Conant and his family before Conant died and wanted to support Joshua's Garage, the charity set up in his memory.

"His uncle is one of my good friends. Josh would always go to the race track and car shows with us," Mcnutt said.

Mark Sanderson, Conant's uncle, said he took Conant to car shows since he was a toddler.

Among the cars on display, with a #JusticeforJoshua sticker in its back window, was a 1985 El Camino Conant had owned. He had worked on it with his uncle, mother, friends and others important to him.

Conant's family sold shirts to raise funds for Joshua's Garage.

Some of the show's regular attendees knew Conant from their shared love of cars. Gary Zaremea, one of the regular attendees of Cruising Port Huron, had stuck a #JusticeforJoshua sticker on the engine of his own vehicle, a 1970 Doge Coronet 500. He said he knew Conant since he was a child.

Dave Hawks, who attended the show with his wife Jill and brother Bob, expressed support for the Conant family in the aftermath of his death.

"It's a shame nothing's been done about it," Hawks said.

Conant died outside the Roche Bar in the early hours of Nov. 4. Police reports state several bouncers tried to restrain him after an altercation outside the bar. A Port Huron police officer responded and placed Conant in handcuffs, only to then realize Conant was unresponsive and needed medical attention.

No charges have been filed in the more than eight months that have passed since Conant's death, prompting outrage from his family and others in the community who have used the "Justice for Joshua" slogan to show support for criminal charges. Roche Bar has been closed since Conant's death.

More: Chief Platzer breaks down no-fault decision with response to Joshua Conant's death

Michigan State Police completed an investigation into Joshua's death and submitted it to the Michigan Attorney General's Office in February.

Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Joshua Conant honored at Port Huron car show