U.P. Breaking News Bulletin – 1-7-18 12:30 pm ET
Young woman from the Copper Country critically injured in Friday crash; prayers requested
By Greg Peterson
S.E. Social Justice Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433
(Marquette, MI) – An Upper Peninsula native and member of the army national guard is hoping for your prayers following an accident on Friday that left a family friend from the Copper Country critically injured. He was driving.
The single-vehicle accident happened at about 5 p.m. ET on Fri., Jan. 5, 2018 on U.S.-2 near Hog island outside Newberry, MI.
Wrecked pickup truck
Pickup truck before accident
The driver of the dark blue 2007 Chevy 2500 HD Silverado pickup truck was 24-year-old James Gunnari, a Mohawk, MI native now living in downstate Livonia. His wife and three children were in another vehicle following a bit behind Gunnari’s pickup truck.
Gunnari had a family friend for a passenger. She had been visiting relatives in the Livonia area and was headed back to the Copper Country.
That passenger, 20-year-old Eryn Marie Fischer of Laurium, MI is in critical condition at U.P. Health System-Marquette suffering from numerous injuries in the apparent rollover and crash into trees. Fischer’s injuries include cracked vertebrae, a broken sternum and other fractures. Fischer had to be extricated from the wreckage with the Jaws of Life.
Eryn Marie Fischer of Laurium, MI:
“I like poems. Real conversations. Genuine people. Fantasies. I like stories. I like soul.”
The accident happened “just before sundown” on that fateful sunny day during first days of 2018, Gunnari said. “It was nice out and I went to pass (another vehicle) on U.S.-2.”
At an estimated speed of “around 50 mph,” Gunnari said he “lost control of the truck.”
While he says its only property, the pickup truck “is completely crushed and I am not sure if I rolled over,” Gunnari said, as his real concern is for Fischer.
“They had to use the Jaws of Life to take the passenger door off to get her out,” he said stoically.
Gunnari was ticketed for driving too fast for conditions.
Gunnari, who recently moved to Livonia, was headed to Calumet National Guard Armory for a drill with the 1431st Engineer Company. Gunnari is a member of the 107th Engineer Battalion.
Gunnari received minor injuries including a broken nose and was treated and released from the Helen Newberry Joy Hospital. The army national guardsman doesn’t remember much about the violent crash that critically injured a good friend and destroyed the pickup truck they were riding in.
“I slid off the road right after the pass and smashed into the ditch and went into the trees,” said Gunnari, adding the pickup truck may have rolled. “It was sunny and the roads were bare – When I awoke and it was nighttime and snowing.”
“My wife and kids made it safe all the way to Houghton,” Gunnari said, adding he was born and raised in Houghton County.
Fischer was going to take a bus home on a bus, but that changed when Gunnari asked her “if she needed a ride.”
“My wife and kids wanted to come up to the U.P. also and visit family. Eryn had just got done visiting her mom, dad and sister for the holidays in Westland, MI,” Gunnari said.
Gunnari wants all the focus to be on 20-year-old Eryn Marie Fischer of Laurium, MI – and all prayers are welcome and will help. A native of Jasper, Alabama, Fischer said on Facebook in September that she tries “to be the best person I can be” with a zest for life.
Fischer has attended Northern Michigan University. She lives with friends and work keeps her busy. Fischer lists her jobs as housekeeping at Days Inn and sales associate at Bath and Body Works.
“I like poems. Real conversations. Genuine people. Fantasies. I like stories. I like soul.”
https://www.facebook.com/eryn.m.fischer
https://www.facebook.com/Lilgunnz
http://ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2016/10/23/calumet-national-guard-armory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/107th_Engineer_Battalion
https://minationalguard.com/units-and-leadership/
James Gunnari
Wrecked pickup truck
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 