BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Portland man was thrown from his vehicle after a drunken driving suspect fled from the scene Friday afternoon.
At 5:36 p.m. Friday, deputies with the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a crash near the intersection of Hartwell Road and Bennett Road. They said a 32-year-old Portland man either was thrown or fell from the moving vehicle. The original report stated that a white pickup truck had fled the scene.
Upon police arriving at the scene, the Portland man was found with severe injuries and was transported by Aeromed to a Grand Rapids hospital where he is currently listed in serious condition.
Additional Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted by the Michigan State Police Lakeview post and were able to locate the suspect vehicle, where they found the suspect driver had fled on foot. A search of the area led to the arrest of the suspect driver, a 37-year-old man from Ionia who is being held at the Ionia County Jail.
He is charged with operating while intoxicated and additional charges are being requested.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office at (616) 527-0400.
