Troopers: Man killed in rollover crash on U.S. 23 was not wearing seatbelt
The 49-year-old Ypsilanti man killed in this wreck Wednesday morning was not wearing his seatbelt, police said.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
- Updated article : Police release name of man killed in crash on U.S. 23
The 49-year-old Ypsilanti man killed in a rollover crash on U.S. 23 Wednesday morning was not wearing his seatbelt when his vehicle went off the roadway, police said.
Police said the red 2004 Chevrolet Aveo the man was driving was northbound on U.S. 23 approaching Carpenter Road. The car went off the roadway, and the driver lost control of the vehicle, crossed both northbound lanes and entered the center median.
Once in the center median, the Aveo began to roll and the man was thrown from the vehicle, Michigan State Police said in a press release. The man and the Aveo both came to rest in the left lane of southbound U.S. 23. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Michigan State Troopers were dispatched at 10:03 a.m. to southbound U.S. 23 near Carpenter Road in York Township to investigate the single- vehicle accident.
Troopers said preliminary investigation shows the man was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. Huron Valley Ambulance officials said the man was under the car when emergency personnel arrived on scene.
The investigation into the accident continues, and police are not sure why the man's car left the roadway when he was in the northbound lanes.
Troopers are not releasing the man’s name until his family is notified, according to the police statement.
The freeway was closed for almost two and a half hours for investigation into the crash.
The crash was the second fatal accident in Washtenaw County Wednesday morning. A 38-year-old man was killed on Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti Township when the box truck he was driving hit a tree. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is investigating that crash.
The man’s name has not been released by sheriff’s office officials. The box truck was the only vehicle involved in the crash.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
JRW
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 7:34 p.m.
Sympathies to the family. The issue is of course wearing a seatbelt, but more important is why the car left the roadway in the first place. We never hear any follow-up on these accidents about why vehicles "leave the roadway," or in the case of the truck that hit a tree, why it left the road in the first place. How about some follow-up on the reasons for these accidents. Otherwise it's just a list of fatalities.
jns131
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 6:14 p.m.
So, let me guess. Damned if we do and damned if we don't. Either way, from what I am reading? Divine intervention is the theme of the day.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 11:03 a.m.
In April of 1982 when we drove our first daughter home from the hospital I began to buckled up and never looked back.
Butter nuts
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 6:02 a.m.
Very sad. Everyone must always wear their seatbelt. Always wear it. And then driving off the road, what was going on?
brian
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 2:37 a.m.
I just don't get it. It takes about 2 seconds to put on a seatbelt. Please wear them people.
justme2
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 2:02 a.m.
Why Why Why doesn't everyone use a seatbelt? It makes no sense to not wear one.
Anna
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 12:16 a.m.
I find it sad people choose to not buckle up. I am truly perplexed as to why anybody would elect not to given all the statistics racked up over decades.
Dog Guy
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 11:51 p.m.
The red Daewoo/Chevy in the photo is not crushed. Buckle up! I'll pray for the deceased and his family
Ann English
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 11:06 p.m.
A 360-degree roll.
GoNavy
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 10:41 p.m.
That's just too bad. Who's to say if this was a survivable crash - but it serves as a lesson for me as to why its important to wear a seatbelt.
Cory C
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 11:28 a.m.
I'll say it was survivable, the entire passengers safety cell is undamaged. Had he not exited the vehicle he probably would have walked away with minor injuries.
Ann English
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 11:03 p.m.
Decades ago, when we first enforced secondary seatbelt use, in which you could be ticketed for not buckling up, but stopped by police for a different driving violation, a man's car was found abandoned near a pond, damaged so badly that police were sure the driver could not have possibly survived. Divers searched the pond for a body, but couldn't find any. Later, the man told the police that he walked away from the scene unhurt because of the new seatbelt law; ordinarily before its passage, he didn't buckle up, but this time he did, and it saved his life.
dancinginmysoul
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 10:37 p.m.
I find it sad we're showing this picture. His age and city of residence have been disclosed, not to mention the type of vehicle. It wouldn't be difficult for the family to put together who this is. The victim is under the sheet, which is visible in the photograph. Prayers to the family. Prayers to the first responders. How tragic.
Anna
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 12:20 a.m.
If it helps encourage a person to buckle up, the photo has served a purpose.
Linda Peck
Wed, Apr 3, 2013 : 11:50 p.m.
Dancing, I agree with you. I add my prayers to yours. I am sorry that this scene was shown, too. Words can be descriptive enough.