Fatal crash on west side of Ann Arbor resulted from driver suffering medical condition, police say
A 66-year-old man died Thursday after his car was hit by a 48-year-old man who suffered a medical condition, causing him to pass out and run a red light, according to police.
The accident occurred at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Maple Road and Dexter Avenue, according to Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush. She said the 48-year-old man was traveling east on Dexter Avenue when a medical issue caused him to pass out. His Saturn ran a red light and he collided with the 66-year-old man’s Toyota, which was traveling north on Maple Road, Bush said.
The 66-year-old man died at the scene from the injuries he sustained in the collision. Bush said the 48-year-old man was transported to the hospital by Huron Valley Ambulance to be treated for his medical issue. Police are not releasing the nature of the medical issue that caused the man to pass out, Bush said.
The Toyota was hit near the driver’s side door, pinning the 66-year-old man inside the vehicle, Bush said. Ann Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Vogel said when firefighters arrived at the scene, the man was pinned inside the vehicle and not breathing.
Vogel said firefighters used the Jaws of Life to remove the man from the Toyota, but he was declared dead at the scene.
Authorities originally reported three cars were involved in the crash, but Bush said only two cars were involved. The third car thought to be involved in the crash was actually a witness who had pulled over to the side of the road to wait for authorities, Bush said.
The identities of the men involved in the crash have not been released.
Thursday saw two traffic accidents resulting in deaths. A man was killed after being hit by a semi truck while walking onto Interstate 94 near Stone School Road. Police reported witnesses said the man appeared to walk out in front of the truck deliberately.
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
thinker
Thu, May 10, 2012 : 2:06 a.m.
@FedUpinA2- Are you seriously suggesting that diabetics should not be allowed to drive? If the driver was a brittle or uncontrolled diabetic, then maybe he should not be allowed to, but most diabetics control their diabetes and drive responsibly. If he was not responsible in his diabetic management, then he should be cited and held culpable. I just hope he is not out on the road again until his medical condition is under control.
Bertha Venation
Mon, Apr 30, 2012 : 12:34 p.m.
4/30 -- Is there an update to this story regarding the investigation, i.e., was there really a medical condition (according to a witness, there was some doubt) and the names of people involved? Thank you.
Bertha Venation
Mon, Apr 30, 2012 : 1:04 p.m.
Please disregard... I just read the obituary... I'm so sorry for John's family.
BERNARD SIVAK
Sun, Apr 29, 2012 : 4:40 p.m.
Medical condition in a 44 year old ?! how about a drug screen for alcohol or illegal drugs or prescription drugs with driver warning. yes, these all result in "medical conditions" and there he was watching the rescue ????
walker101
Sun, Apr 29, 2012 : 10:24 a.m.
This is a very tragic accident for the victim and his family, I don't understand the medical condition, if in fact he had one that only meant was under some type of restriction from performing such tasks like driving or working with certain types of equipment due to medications he was under?
Karen St John
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 10:22 p.m.
The family of the deceased man should know; the medical personnel attending the ailing man need to know, obviously, as should the patient and his family, if it is chronic. I have no need to know what the gentleman's medical condition was/is. That would only serve a certain coarse prurience.
FedUpinA2
Mon, Apr 30, 2012 : 1:55 a.m.
The information is he was a diabetic, and knew he shouldn't be driving! So we just turn a blind eye to the dead man? When this happens to one of you family members let me know if you still feel the same way.
JRW
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 7:39 p.m.
The bottom line is that an innocent person, the driver of the other car, died tragically due to a "medical condition" in the other driver, who escaped death. The family of the 66 year old who died will sort it out in court when they likely sue the other driver. Without knowing the nature of the medical condition, there may or may not be negligence involved. Some medical conditions do not allow for individuals to drive automobiles, for example, but many people drive anyway. I have known several people who have driven cars in the past that have had debilitating medical conditions affecting their vision, etc., and who should not have been driving. This happens all the time. Other people are perfectly healthy and have a medical event (heart attack, stroke, etc) while driving and cause an accident. Big difference. This article does not give any information other than an accident and tragic death occurred.
Karen St John
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 10:24 p.m.
If this comes to pass, then court records will reveal the illness.
ArgoC
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.
I don't think the family can sue the other driver. This is a No-Fault state.
Attempted Voice of Reason
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 6:51 p.m.
With the rash of cars driving into restaurants, driving into pedestrians, and driving into cars, including absolute blockages of US-23 and I-94 about twice a week (each) I'm ready to throw my support behind the google self-driving cars. They can't be any more dangerous than the people are. Oh, and regarding the "investigation" that the a2.com group does, I've come to the conclusion that not only do they only re-tweet news, they also never visit the sites. I was at the Plymouth Panera today, and it was very clear from the tire marks and the impact angle that the driver was heading west on Plymouth, trying to make a right turn into the Panera lot (the article said the car was turning right from Murfin to Plymouth). Also it was easy to do a google search for images and see that the Panera car was a white chevy Cruze. I'm pretty sure we have no full-time reporters: I think they have other jobs, and are paid a little side money to retweet things sent to them. It's better than nothing I suppose (after all the freep never covered this crash) but I would like better. I'm willing to pay and subscribe for better.
eastsider2
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 11:39 p.m.
Amen, Amen, Amen. I, too, would pay for better news. I do, it's called the Freep, but as you point out, they don't cover A2. As to those who call us "whiners', we simply hope that the publishers of the AA.com will pony up the money to hire more reporters, more copy editors, make this little experiment a real news source. Maybe we can't go back to the days of a real daily newspaper, but maybe we can do better than this.
dexterreader
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
The story did not say it was a "pre-existing" medical condition. Perhaps the person had a heart attack or some other "unforeseeable" incident. In any case, it's very sad. My sympathies to all the families involved.
FedUpinA2
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 5:26 p.m.
Who drives a car with a medical condition where they are subject to passing out while driving? There's more to this story and I hope you get to the bottom of it.
jcj
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.
FedUP Where pray tell does it indicate that the driver KNEW about a the medical condition OR what the medical condition was? Sometimes there is NOT more to the story!
TNB
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 4:47 p.m.
John Richard Fritz of Ann Arbor, MI, 1945-2012, died unexpectedly in an automobile accident on the evening of Thursday, April 26th. He was a beacon of honor, generosity, strength and love to all who knew him and the pillar of his family and the communities he served with devotion. He shared his life with his beloved wife, Maureen (Mo) McNeely Fritz. He leaves adoring and loving children, Amy Fritz and son-in-law John Balbach, Heather Prochaska, and son-in law Matt Prochaska, and grandchildren, Mia Prochaska, Claire Prochaska, Cyrus Balbach, and Ayla Balbach. He leaves his brother, Dean Fritz and sister-in-law Carolyn Fritz, and was predeceased by his sister, Elaine Fritz Owings. A lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, he founded and ran for decades a successful accounting and financial advisory practice serving the city's vibrant medical and business communities. With his generous, loving, and life-enriching spirit, he donated much of his time to HAI (The Human Awareness Institute), which offers personal growth workshops. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, 901 N. Main St., Chelsea from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Private graveside services will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Food Gatherers (foodgatherers.org) or HAI Midwest (Scholarships) (hai.org).
JGS
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
@Matt Cooper - Thanks, yes I know this. All I was trying to do is explain that if you seek the knowledge, you can find it.
ronald
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:56 p.m.
Hate to burst your bubble.The third car was involved in the accident. It is not drivable. Check the police report.
jscd91
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:49 p.m.
I certainly hope the 48-yr old is no longer allowed to drive if they have a medical condition that causes this type of accident. Is your license revoked in this situation does anyone know?
Mr. Me
Sun, Apr 29, 2012 : 2:48 a.m.
He could indeed be charged with vehicular manslaughter if found to be negligent. Given the way our society never punishes reckless drivers, it's very unlikely, but a medical condition alone doesn't exonerate the driver. We don't know the details.
jcj
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 7:18 p.m.
Tesla Exactly where did you study law? I thought so!
Tesla
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 5:41 p.m.
He could also be charged with vehicular manslaughter and never get a license again if found guilty. I'm not sure a "medical condition" would get you free of that charge.
Are you serious?
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
Usually in this kind of incident the license is revoked. The driver can apply to get the license back some months later if the medical condition is diagnosed, treated and controlled. The driver is required to provide appropriate medical information from the treating doctors at a hearing with the Secretary of State.
Hot Sam
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:39 p.m.
In yesterdays discussion a comment of mine was removed, probably because I referred to a drastic penalty that at the time I felt appropriate. While I still believe ultimate penalties are in order for someone convicted of driving recklessly or impaired and taking a life, the idea that this man had a medical condition certainly changes that. Ultimately our prayers go out to the families and all involved...a terrible tragedy...
5c0++ H4d13y
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 2:41 p.m.
I always find that intersection dicey. Since taking up motorcycling I always look deep into a crossing street to spy a car running the light. It's good practice everyone should take up.
Unusual Suspect
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:26 p.m.
Ever since day about 15 years ago when I entered an intersection on a green light and then saw a pickup truck flash through my rear-view mirror, barely missing my rear bumper at about 60mph, I check every intersection I cross for vehicles coming through on a red.
thinker
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:49 p.m.
Do we have the name of the victim yet? Surely that's the most important thing!
JGS
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 4:09 p.m.
check obits on mlive, it's there.
james
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 7:36 a.m.
life is too short and we never know what will happen, my grandda lost his brother in that crush and it was nothing he did wrong ... our family will miss a great man, father, brother, grandfather, and husben
getyourstorystraightfirst
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:26 p.m.
I am so sorry for your loss...this is such a tragic accident
rays53
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:57 a.m.
My prayers go out to all involved and their loved ones. As for the doubters of a medical condition, I have had a couple of friends have a sudden medical condition while they were driving and have an accident due to blacking out. Fortunately for them, no one was killed or seriously injured in the accidents. They did discover unknown medical conditions which caused blackouts while driving and were treated for the conditions. Think about runners who are thought to be in good shape that collapse due to an undiscovered ailment.
huh7891
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:02 a.m.
Every day I come on here and read different posts from people complaining about the quality of the articles they have read. Please if you don't like it.. don't read it..spare the rest of us the constant complaining and whining. Now back to the real story here..how tragic for this man and his family , thoughts and prayers are with them.
Unusual Suspect
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:17 p.m.
Every day I come on here and read different posts from people complaining about the quality of the comments they have read. Please if you don't like the them.. don't read them..spare the rest of us the constant complaining and whining.
KMHall
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:55 p.m.
huh7891 I had hoped some of these commenters would have gotten something out of their systems and move on, but they just seem invigorated. This story is tragic and the people who need to feel clever andrude seem inappropriate.
Tesla
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 1:10 a.m.
How do we know we won't like it until we read it.
Teri
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.
I happened to drive by the scene about 30 minutes after it happened! I knew when the car was covered that someone had lost their life. Was very heartbreaking to see that! My thoughts go out to the family. What struck me, was the two "police officers" that were directing east bound traffic were standing there laughing! Seriously?...a family has just lost a loved one and the body is 20 feet from you and you stand there laughing? Wow...these two sure didn't make the AAPD look very good last night!
YpsiVeteran
Sun, Apr 29, 2012 : 4:19 p.m.
Teri, how do you know the body was still on-scene. Did you see it? It's apparent many people have zero idea what the job of a police officer entails, or what is required of a police officer to stay sane for 20 years with all they have to see and do. Would you have been happier if the officers were on their knees in the middle of the road crying and praying? It's because of what they do that you'll never have to know what it takes to do what they do, so at least have the intelligence and good grace to avoid judging something you know nothing about.
Unusual Suspect
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:21 p.m.
"So, all you hotshot police suckups, what tasks at an accident scene require laughter by officers?" OK, so now somebody who treats others with respect and doesn't pass judgement on them without knowing the whole story is a "suckup." Amazing. And to get an answer to your question, how about you go ask a police officer? Perhaps one of them said something funny to the other about something that happened at the station the other day. Perhaps they were discussing Brandon Inge's 0.100 batting average. Since you're the expert on this, please tell us how long they have to wait after this accident before they can laugh. An hour? Four hours? A day? What's the statute of limitations on this?
f4phantomII
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:55 p.m.
What prohibits it? Just a guess, but I'll bet they would have behaved differently if the man's family had been there.
craigjjs
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:40 p.m.
So, all you hotshot police suckups, what tasks at an accident scene require laughter by officers?
JGS
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:28 p.m.
Agree with Unusual Suspect, do not judge from passing by. Were you there with the officers securing the scene? Check the mirror before you start judging others.
Unusual Suspect
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:08 a.m.
When and for how long were you an officer?
Killosaur
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 8:26 p.m.
There were three cars. I know this because I was the third car.
Killosaur
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 2:27 p.m.
I'm ok, thanks. The Saturn driver ran the red light eastbound on Dexter. I was sitting at the stoplight westbound Dexter. The Toyota was heading northbound on Maple - he never saw it coming. The Saturn hit the driver side door at 40 mph or more. The two cars spun around multiple times. The Saturn spun into me, smashed up my front left quarter panel. A really nice man stopped on NB Maple and rushed to the Toyota. I was right behind him. We couldn't get the doors open. The rear window popped from the pressure. The driver had his seatbelt on, the airbags deployed, but I think he broke his neck. There wasn't much blood. The victim did nothing wrong. It is so sad. Just like that, he was gone.
james
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 7:31 a.m.
my grandda's brother was the one that died, and we are not in the area, can u tell me what did you seee and what happen plez
GregC
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 2:16 a.m.
I was asking the witness, not you.
ranger007
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 1:18 a.m.
Read the article ...pretty much says it all.
greg
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 8:39 p.m.
Are you OK? What happened?
jimi1984
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 8:11 p.m.
I drove by this intersection at 8pm and saw the aftermath when the crash scene investigators were taking measurements, cars left in position, flares burning, and neighbors were looking on. That poor fella in the Toyota, my heart goes out to him and his family. The deformation on the driver's side of his car gave every indication of a high speed impact. Wicked bad and at a point, ie not broadside like the full bumper but an off-set like the corner of the striking vehicle hit him. "Medical condition" or not, this was preventable.
ArgoC
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 11:22 p.m.
The first thing people say is ... not enough information. Next come the people who jump to conclusions and claim to know all about it. Sheesh.
jcj
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 9:15 p.m.
jimi1984 You say "this was preventable." And exactly how do YOU know that? There is NO way to know if this was preventable based on the information provided! It is not right to presume things given the gravity of this incident! Lots of things are preventable in we lock ourselves in the closet!
Larry Works
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 7:29 p.m.
You just never know what's going to happen. Be sure to hug someone you love today. Here's the view from Ahmo's patio http://www.flickr.com/photos/85653148@N00/7119347361/in/photostream/lightbox/
Larry Works
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 7:30 p.m.
Better link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85653148@N00/7119347361/in/photostream
Bertha Venation
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 7:13 p.m.
One of the witnesses said he saw the driver of the Saturn standing outside of his car after the crash, so it will be interesting to find out if there really was a medical condition or if something else is going on.
Tesla
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 6:04 p.m.
How unfortunate for all involved. I do wish you guys there at the website had a little more hudspa when it came to journalism instead of stopping at whatever press release comes across your fax machine. It's like all you do is Re Tweet. At least thats how it appears. I'm quite sure you do more than that but theres always so much missing information, wrong information, or whatever. I for one am very curious what "medical conditions" this man ha3000 pound machine.d that caused him to lose consciousness when driving a vehicle causing the death of another.
Matt Cooper
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:33 p.m.
LOL You guys are funny! If you don't like what's written, the way it's written or anything else...Why come here? That's like going to someone elses house and whining because they didn't vaccuum the carpets. It ain't your carpet and nobody was begging you to stop in for a visit, so be quiet and stop complaining. If you don't like this news source, go someplace else.
jcj
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 1:52 a.m.
Telsa Did you ever consider that this may have been the first incident of this kind for the driver? There is always a first time. And you don't usually know it's coming. So you can't prepare for it.
Tesla
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 1:06 a.m.
Cut me some slack. I'm hooked on phonics! I understand the concern for the victim and the person who caused the fatality, but I also would like to know what ailments my fellow drivers are allowed to drive with that cause them to lose consciousness while operating a motor vehicle.
jcj
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 9:11 p.m.
Tesla I agree too many "stories"on here are just taken from other sources with no investigation on the part of the staff. BUT in this case your curiosity is overruled by common sense and the rights of the victims!
say it plain
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
"Hudspa"; I love it! If pronounced sort of like 'chutzpah' sounds, ironically, it sounds even more like it should refer to an act involving saliva than the properly pronounced yiddish lol... But just reading it, it seems like it might refer to a retreat for facials and pedicures scandalously located within HUD-sponsored developments! As in, hey, can you believe the story Rush Limbaugh told on his last show about the "HUDspas"?! And ReTweeting is the perfect metaphor for what AA.com does lol! It's the new media business model, that and advertising cloaked as newsy profiles or 'contributions' !
Arboriginal
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 7 p.m.
Chutzpa I believe. I do like hudspa quite a bit, but I don't think it means anything!
Tesla
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 6:06 p.m.
And of course if you trusted us with 1 minute to make corrections my post wouldn't come off as being written by a moron. Thats another thing. It's 2012 yo. They got an app for that.
Tony Dearing
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:38 p.m.
When posting comments, please keep in mind our guidelines for stories involving a tragic death. These guidelines were developed over time with input from our readers, and we seek to apply them consistently. You'll find those guidelines here: http://www.annarbor.com/about/annarborcom-conversation-guidelines-comment-moderation/
grimmk
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:05 a.m.
I thought I was being nothing but sad and supportive for the people involved! I wasn't saying anything demeaning. I still don't understand why my comment was deleted. I just said I was glad it wasn't some reckless driver. I was sad that it happened regardless and hoped all the best for those involved.
ArgoC
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 11:15 p.m.
My mistake then. Thanks.
Tony Dearing
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
This is a new story, written this morning after we received additional information from the police. The story posted last night remains on the site, with the comments that were posted on it. You'll find it here: http://www.annarbor.com/news/man-killed-in-crash-involving-three-cars-in-ann-arbor/
ArgoC
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 5:54 p.m.
Would you mind explaining why when a story gets updated, all existing comments are deleted? This practice puzzles me. Thanks.
Linda Peck
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:34 p.m.
It is a tragedy and I am sorry to read this. I send blessings to all of the people affected by this.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:03 p.m.
"suffered a medical condition" - is very unhelpful. I thought that part of the journalist's job was to inform the public. So... inform us.
Matt Cooper
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:30 p.m.
JGS, peoples personal medical records are not subject to FOIA laws.
Matt Cooper
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:28 p.m.
Craig, none of those entities are entitled under HIPAA to publicly disclose medical an individuals medical information except under strict guidelines. Reporting what the patients medical condition was that caused him to lose consciousness does not, as I understand it, fall under those conditions. Your comments are misleading because you do not identifiy that in fact, the only information that can be publicly dissemenated by public officials such as law enforecement or other public health officials is in certain cases of flu or other community health risks. A car accident in which a person loses consciousness is not a 'community health risk' per se.
JGS
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:30 p.m.
@Tru2Blu76 - Something for you here. If you're so interested, do some legwork and get the info that you're seeking. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Act 442 of 1976 AN ACT to provide for public access to certain public records of public bodies; to permit certain fees; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain public officers and public bodies; to provide remedies and penalties; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts. Source: Michigan.gov
Unusual Suspect
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 3:04 a.m.
"Nice attitude." But as expected, for that particular user.
Rici
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:26 a.m.
I appreciate Craig Lounsbury's info about who is bound by HIPAA. Our family had a medical emergency that required ambulance assistance and many details appeared on the front page of the paper (many years ago, but long after HIPAA was in place). I've always wondered why - felt betrayed by the hospital and the police that responded. I better understand now.
tdw
Sat, Apr 28, 2012 : 12:17 a.m.
It was a medical condition what business is it of yours ? just being nosey ?
jcj
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 9:07 p.m.
Tru2Blu1876 I would expect more from a U of M person
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 5:28 p.m.
I don't think law enforcement is bound by HIPAA. Here is a link that tells who is and who isn't bound. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html "Who Is Not Required to Follow These Laws Many organizations that have health information about you do not have to follow these laws. Examples of organizations that do not have to follow the Privacy and Security Rules include: life insurers, employers, workers compensation carriers, many schools and school districts, many state agencies like child protective service agencies, many law enforcement agencies, many municipal offices."
Enso
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:52 p.m.
Nice attitude.
YpsiLivin
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:15 p.m.
Privacy laws prevent the release of medical information about a specific individual without the individual's consent. Hospitals, doctors, policing agencies, etc., are all subject to these non-disclosure rules. While the term "medical condition" seems unhelpful, no one (except the patient) is at liberty to disclose the nature of the medical emergency.
ummsw
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:14 p.m.
"Not releasing information' probably due to HIIPA laws
drewk
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:10 p.m.
If you actually read the article then you would have noticed that "Police are not releasing the nature of the medical issue".
Bertha Venation
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 3:20 p.m.
So sad. Prayers to all involved and their families.