Posted on 12/31/2007 3:07:00 AM PST by ShadowDancer
5 Dead in Head-on Collision on I-280
Police believe victims were a family from Maryland
Last Edited: Monday, 31 Dec 2007, 5:26 AM EST
Created: Monday, 31 Dec 2007, 12:33 AM EST
An alleged drunk driver in a black pick-up truck heading northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate-280 near the I-75 interchange collided with a white minivan with eight passengers, killing five.
The five passengers killed were all females -- a mother, two 10-year-old girls, a 7-year-old girl, and a 6-month-old girl. The father, and 8-year-old girl, and an 8-year-old boy survived.
Four of the family members died at the scene of the crash, Toledo Police say. The infant died after being transported to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.
All of the surviving victims, including the alleged drunk driver, were also taken to St. Vincent for treatment.
Police believe the family is from Maryland because the white minivan had Maryland license plates.
The accident happened right before 11 p.m. Sunday, an hour before New Year's Eve.
The force of the impact was so severe that the pick-up truck sheared off the passenger side of the minivan, killing those on the right side of the vehicle.
"The preliminary report we have is that a pick-up truck going the wrong way on I-280 here and hit a minivan head-on," said Sgt. Jeff Pachall, Toledo Police spokesperson. "The sole occupant of the pick-up truck is injured but alive.
"There are several fatalities out of the minivan and it appears to be a family traveling from Maryland."
Police say the family appears to be non-traditional.
The accident happened between the I-75 split and the Manhattan Boulevard exit.
A witness tells FOX Toledo News that he, along with an off-duty emergency medical technician and an off-duty police officer, freed some of the victims from their seatbelts and performed CPR before emergency crews arrived.
Other people told police the appeared to be drunk. Police say the driver, who suffered minor injuries, is from Adrian, Mich.
"The witnesses say he was [drinking], but I didn't talk to him," Sgt. Pachall said. "He looks like he was but I don't have any information. He was struggling with the firemen [trying to treat him]. He was screaming as they were trying to get him out of the pick-up."
Because of his belligerent demeanor, an officer rode with the suspect in the ambulance. Another officer followed behind in a patrol car.
The Lenawee County man admitted to police that he was drunk at the time of the crash.
A search warrant was issued for the driver's blood and sent it away for testing. Results were not immediately known. He is being held at St. Vincent for observation.
The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.
Clara and Michael Sr. speak live to Troy Neff
To listen to them click the links below:
Clara:
http://www.troyneff.com/podcast/podaudio08/063008/claragagnon.mp3
Michael, Sr.
http://www.troyneff.com/podcast/podaudio08/063008/gagnonSr.mp3
It is nice to hear that she regrets writing what she wrote on her blog.
However, it appears they do plan on appealing the judgement handed down.
I can only pray that if they do it is either denied or that the new judge gives the same judgement or possibly even a harder judgement for them dragging this out even more.
43 years seems like a lot if it was one death. It’s 5 deaths. I think that’s what they don’t understand. It seems they are looking at this and lumping it all together and therefore thinking 43 years is a lot.
It’s only 8 years per each death and the 3 other years are for the damage that was done to the survivors. Sydney, Danny and Beau. Sydney got the worst damage and life for her is not the same, period. Without going into details, because I don’t want to share more than Jodie wants shared - but suffice it to say that Sydney has a long road to recovery and may never be “whole” again.
Danny and Beau are fairing much better, thank the Lord.
Prayers for your lost friends...your pain still shows it’s very real. You must be quite young yourself.
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