COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Two Coldwater teenagers are reported to be in serious but stable condition at Parkview Regional Medical Center after they were injured Saturday night in a two vehicle traffic accident east of Fremont, Indiana.
18-year-old Oliver Winter and 17-year-old Claire Sheppard were flown there following the accident which took place at the intersection of State Road 120 and County Road 600 East at about 10:00 p.m..
The accident happened the night before Winter was going to graduate from Coldwater High School. One of his friends, Vito Barone, accepted his diploma during graduation ceremonies on Sunday. Sheppard competed in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Girls Track Finals just a few hours before the crash.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Department says a pickup truck driven by Winter failed to yield the right of way to an eastbound car driven by 20-year-old Christopher Hahn of Defiance, Ohio.
After the collision, Winter’s pickup went out of control and struck a tree on the drivers side. Winter and Sheppard were pinned inside.
After they were freed by rescue crews, the two Coldwater teens were flown to Parkview. Hahn and a passenger were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The Sheriff’s Department says the crash is still under investigation. They add everyone involved in the accident were wearing seatbelts and alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the crash.
Eight police and fire agencies from Hillsdale and Steuben Counties responded to the crash scene.