Crawford Co Sheriff's Office News Release Monday May 11th, 2009

Crawford County Sheriff’s Office
200 West Michigan Avenue
Grayling Michigan 49738

NEWS RELEASE

Monday May 11th, 2009

NEWS BRIEF

Crawford County Sheriff Kirk Wakefield reports that in the evening hours of 5/09/09 and the early morning hours of 5/10/09 Deputies responded to three separate alcohol related injury accidents in Crawford County. The accidents sent a total of eight people to Grayling Mercy Hospital with three of those injured being air-lifted to Saginaw for very serious injuries and one being transported to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.

The first accident occurred on I-75 SB at the entrance ramp to I-75 from Grayling at approximately 2040 hours. A vehicle occupied by five men from the Houghton Lake area lost control on the ramp, skidded across I-75, then rolled into the median. One of the occupants was ejected from the vehicle and sustained multiple broken bones. Two of the victims had to be extricated from the vehicle.

The Frederic Township Ambulance discovered the second accident as they returned to Frederic from Mercy Hospital after assisting with the first accident at 0100 hours. A 25-year-old Grayling man was the lone occupant of the vehicle that had driven off of Old 27 north of Grayling High School. The vehicle rolled multiple times and struck several trees. The driver had to be cut from the vehicle with the Jaws of Life. The driver suffered serious injuries.

The third accident occurred at approximately 0332 hours in Beaver Creek Township near the intersection of Old 27 and S. Grayling Rd. in front of the Moose Lodge. The vehicle left the roadway and drove into the ditch before vaulting forward onto its roof. Two occupants of that vehicle were transported to Grayling Mercy Hospital with one of those later being transferred to Munson. The driver of that vehicle, a 22-year-old Roscommon man, was arrested at the scene by Deputies for OWI.

All three accidents remain under investigation with all names being withheld pending the completion of the investigations. Speed and alcohol were contributing factors in all three accidents. Failure to wear seat belts is also believed to have led to the injuries sustained being of a very serious nature.

Responding to the scene of these accidents were the following agencies: Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police Houghton Lake Post, Frederic Township Fire and EMS, Grayling City and Township Fire, Beaver Creek Township Fire and MMR.