Bad Wreck Injures 9 people – including 4 children (ages 4 to 11), fortunately the injuries do not appear to be life-threatening – one person was extricated by the Marquette County Rescue Squad 131
9 hurt including 4 children, 4 vehicles M-553 Wreck 7-23-14 in Sands Township, Michigan
Update on ‘They Lived’ !!!
Justin Sleeter, 26, of Ishpeming was driving the 2003 Chevy pickup truck that caused the crash.
Steven Wallenius, 57, of Alpena was driving a 2012 Ford F-150 that was stopped on M-553 waiting to turn left onto Flodin Road.
Wallenius’s wife, Phyllis Wallenius, 58, and four children ranging in age from four to 11 years old were passengers in his truck.
Dan Keller, 61, of Gwinn was driving the other stopped truck, a 2001 GMC Sierra.
Bart Olsen, 67, of Marquette was driving the northbound truck towing a trailer. That truck was another 2001 GMC Sierra.
Steven and Phyllis Wallenius were admitted to Marquette General for observation.
All other drivers and passengers were treated at Marquette General and released.
The Sheriff’s Department says everyone was wearing a seat belt and that alcohol use was not a factor in the accident.
http://abc10up.com/as-many-as-nine-injured-in-five-car-crash/
Photos and video by Greg Peterson
(Sands Township, Michigan) – Officials say four children were among the nine (9) people were injured in a four vehicle accident in Sands Township.
None of the victims were thought to have life-threatening injuries.
The accident happened about 4:20 p.m. on Wed., July 23, 2014 on M-553 at Flodin Road between Marquette and K.I. Sawyer – in front of Mattson’s Auto Center and about a mile south of the Marquette County Fair Grounds.
Traffic was backed up in both directions for miles – and the highway was closed for about an hour.
The wreck happened at 4:20 p.m. and the extrication and cleanup operations were underway well into the rush hour- causing huge traffic problems as the extrication was underway.
All 4 vehicles were pickup trucks and initial reports indicated there had been a fifth vehicle involved.
The four children – reportedly between the ages of 4 to 11 years old – were in one vehicle.
The accident resembled a chain reaction collision:
Three pickup trucks heading south and another pick in the northbound lane – that hit the first in line – that was turning across the northbound lane – when struck.
Two pickups were headed south, stopped and attempting to make a left turn onto Flodin.
A third southbound pick-up truck and crashed into the a second stopped pickup that was knocked forward into the first pickup
That first pickup was sent into the ditch on the west shoulder of M-553.
The second pickup was forced into the path of an oncoming fourth pickup that was haul scrap iron and metals.
That northbound pickup pulling the trailer ended upside down with its roof flattened.
That upside down pickup was pulling a trailer full of scrap iron – and it flipped on its side sending scrap iron flying, according to Sands Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rickey “Rick” Wilson.
That driver of that third southbound pickup that caused the traffic accident is charged with careless driving and operating a motor vehicle without insurance.
It took rescue officials about 30 minutes to safely extricate the victim.
No names have been released and the conditions of those involved have not been released but all the injured expected to live.
Officials on the scene included the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, Sands Township Volunteer Fire Department, Sands Township EMS, Sands Township First Responders, Forsyth Township EMS, Chocolay Township Fire Department, Marquette County Rescue Squad 131, and Marquette General Hospital EMS ambulances.
——-
Editor’s Note: With Respect From Upper Peninsula Breaking News.
A special thank you to all those who assisted at the scene on M-553 – angels of mercy all – and dealing with major rush hour traffic.
I had a bad wreck on M-95 in Republic Township in Jan. 2013 – seat belt and airbag saved my life – and the Republic Township EMS, Republic Township First Responders and a Republic Township Fire Department.
Boy Oh Boy – seeing them approach with flashing lights and then arrive in mass including the Michigan State Police – made me feel a whole better on that winter night.
Plus about a dozen vehicles passing by stopped and all helping in some way including an off-duty nurse and his wife who made me get into the heat of their vehicle aka driver’s seat.
——-
Sands Township Fire Department Chief Rickey Wilson
906-346-7683
http://www.sandstownship.org/faqs/emsfire-info
More excellent coverage was obtained by Mike Hoey of ABC 10 News in Ishpeming
http://abc10up.com/as-many-as-nine-injured-in-five-car-crash
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 