A devastating collision on Michigan roadways took the lives of three members of a reality TV family last week when a Florida truck driver ran a stop sign and crashed into their Jeep. According to CBS News Detroit, the incident occurred last Friday near the intersection of Deckerville and Hurds Corner roads, claiming the lives of William Putman, his wife Barbara, and their daughter-in-law Megan, of Tuscola County, known from the show "Meet the Putmans."
The truck driver, Pavel Shchukin, 55, is now facing multiple charges in the wake of the tragedy. The Tuscola County Prosecutor's Office has charged Shchukin with three counts of moving violation causing death and five counts of moving violation causing serious impairment of a body function, with the possibility of one year in prison if convicted, as reported by ABC12. Blake Putman, the son of William and Barbara and husband of Megan, sustained major injuries. The four children also in the Jeep suffered injuries deemed potentially life-threatening at the time.
In the aftermath of the collision, five survivors, including the Putman children, were taken to area hospitals by helicopter and ground ambulance. Some remained in critical condition the following day. The truck driver and his passenger, meanwhile, were treated for minor injuries, according to officials. The Tuscola County Sheriff's Office is investigating what led to Shchukin's failure to adhere to the stop sign, as stated in an article from WNEM.
