LITCHFIELD, MI (WTVB) – Four people were injured last night, including a pedestrian, in two accidents involving 3 vehicles in northeast Branch County. It all happened shortly before 10 p.m. in Butler Township.
Michigan State Police say a car driven by 19-year old Trevor Johnson of Litchfield was southbound on Clarendon Road when he crossed the centerline and struck a northbound Dodge Durango SUV head on. About 3 minutes after the collision, a car southbound on Clarendon came upon the accident at the intersection with Herricksville Road and slammed into the SUV.
A man who lives on Clarendon where the original accident occurred came out to help and was in the roadway when he was hit by the Durango after the SUV was struck by the third car that crashed into it. That person was flown from the scene by Air Care to Bronson Medical Center in Kalamazoo for treatment.
The driver of the Durango, 29-year old Kelsey Dwater of Reading, escaped serious injury and sought her own treatment. The driver of the third car, 26-year old Ryan Smith of Homer, was seriously injured and transported by Life Care Ambulance to Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall for treatment. Johnson went to Oaklawn for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
State Police say drugs may have been a factor in the initial crash. According to troopers, a backpack with a pound of what is believed to be marijuana was found at the accident site. State Police say they think they know which driver owned the backpack but the entire incident last night remains under investigation.
The Quincy and the Litchfield Fire Departments assisted at the scene where troopers were on the job for nearly 3 hours.
