Several injuries reported in two vehicle crash

By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer

HARTFORD TWP. – Several people were injured, including two teenage females initially listed with life threatening injuries, Wednesday night, Sept. 18, in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Red Arrow Highway and County Road 681 in Hartford Township, according to a press release from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said that Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at approximately 6:20 p.m. to the intersection of Red Arrow Highway and CR 681 for a two-car traffic crash. It was reported that one vehicle had rolled over after the crash with multiple injured individuals on scene. Sheriff Abbott said deputies were further advised that there was one unresponsive female who was receiving CPR from bystanders.
Deputies arrived at the scene, along with medical personnel and other officers. Life saving measures were performed until the subjects could be treated and transported by EMS.
Sheriff Abbott said the initial investigation reported a 2001 Chevrolet Tracker was occupied by five teenage females from Hartford that was traveling southbound on CR 681. The investigation reported the driver of the Tracker failed to stop at the stop sign at Red Arrow Highway and struck a westbound 2012 Ford Focus that was occupied by four men from Hartford. The crash caused the Focus to roll over. Multiple people in each vehicle were not wearing seatbelts and all sustained injuries in the crash. The nine individuals involved were evaluated by EMS and transported to hospitals for treatment. Sheriff Abbott said two of the teenage females suffered life threatening injuries and were initially listed in “critical condition.”
Both Red Arrow Highway and CR 681 were closed in the area of the crash for approximately two-and-half hours to investigate the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
Assisting at the scene were Michigan State Police. Hartford Fire Department, Hartford Quick Response, Van Buren Emergency Medical Services and Pokagon Tribal Police.