BRANCH COUNTY, Mich. — Sheriff’s deputies said they responded to nearly 30 weather-related accidents Saturday.
Of the weather-related calls, deputies said they responded to18 slide-offs, 8 property damage-related accidents, and 3 crashes involving personal injuries.
The first personal injury accident happened after 11 a.m. on East Chicago Drive near Maple Road in Quincy Township. Deputies said a car driven by John Boulton, 55, from Allen was traveling east when he lost control on the icy road and spun out of control. He crossed the center line into the path of a car driven by Brittany Gray, 28, also from Allen.
Gray had two children in the backseat of her car, both wearing child restraints. Police said there were minor injuries.
Later Saturday afternoon around 1 p.m., there was a report of another two-vehicle accident on US-12, west of Wildlife Road in Bethel Township. It was determined that a Buick, driven by Areli Otiz-Pina, 20, of Bronson, traveling west on US-12 was driving too fast for the slushy road and lost control. Otiz-Pina crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with another Buick, driven by Dakota Hunnaman, 22, also from Bronson.
The crash pinned Otiz-Pina, who then had to be extricated. Otiz-Pina , Hunnaman, and their passengers —a 17-year-old and a 1-year-old—were all taken to Community Health Center in Branch County.
At approximately 4:40 p.m., a third personal injury accident occurred on M-86, west of Hodunk Road in Batavia Township. Deputies arrived to the scene and found Jami Edson, 32, from Three Rivers. The driver had sped too fast going eastbound and lost control, leaving the road before hitting a fence and utility pole. Edson was taken to Community Health Center for a pain in his arm and hand.
