A Coldwater man and his 5-year-old son were killed Friday evening when the SUV they were riding in left East Central Road in Ovid Township, struck a tree and overturned in a field, according to Michigan State Police. The man's 4-year-old daughter was pulled from the wreck with life-threatening injuries and taken to a hospital in Kalamazoo.
Michigan State Police said the 26-year-old man was driving a 2017 Buick Enclave west on East Central Road when the vehicle left the roadway near South Central Road, struck a tree and flipped into a field south of the road, as reported by MLive.com. The timing of the crash is not entirely settled: MLive's reporting places it at around 6:20 p.m. Friday, while WWMT reports the crash happened just before 6:30 p.m. the same evening.
The man was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover and was pronounced dead at the scene. His 5-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter were both trapped inside the Buick before being extricated. The boy was initially taken to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead after being transported to Insight Hospital in Coldwater, per the same account from WWMT.
Daughter Airlifted After Being Stabilized in Marshall
The man's daughter was taken first to a hospital in Marshall for stabilization before being transferred to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo with life-threatening injuries. Investigators noted a key difference in how the two children were secured inside the vehicle: the girl was properly secured in a child safety seat, while her brother was not restrained in one, and their father was not wearing a seatbelt, the station's report states.
Speed Suspected, Drugs and Alcohol Ruled Out
Michigan State Police said speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash, while alcohol and drug use are not believed to have played a role. The crash remains under investigation, and no further findings have been released. Troopers were assisted at the scene by Life Care EMS, the Lakeland Volunteer Fire Department, the Coldwater Fire Department, the Branch County Sheriff's Department and a Samaritan helicopter.
Second Fatal Crash in Same Township
Friday's crash marks at least the second fatal single-vehicle wreck in Ovid Township to strike a tree in recent reporting. In an earlier incident, 80-year-old Gary Burkhardt of Coldwater died at the scene after the car he and his wife, Barbra Burkhardt, were riding in crashed into a tree on South Centennial Road north of Shady Oaks Drive, according to WWMT. That crash happened around 9:45 a.m., and Barbra Burkhardt was taken to Promedica Emergency Room in Coldwater following the incident.
No additional details about the identities of the father and children involved in Friday's crash have been released, and Michigan State Police have not announced any further findings as the investigation continues.
