The sister of a Jackson teenager who died in a crash on Interstate 94 east of Chelsea last week, believes her brother may have died trying to protect his nephew.

Alissa Zachary, sister of Jeremy Newsome, 17, who died May 15 when the car he was riding in went out of control and rolled over on the freeway, told the Chelsea Standard she thinks he may have tried to shield the 1-year-old boy when the car started to roll.

She also said Newsome’s older sister, who was driving the car, disputes witness accounts that said she drove onto the shoulder trying to pass cars on the freeway. The driver, Jessica Hafner, 23, of Ypsilanti, said she lost control of the car reaching for a pop, Zachary told the newspaper.

Also in the car were Samuel Cannon, 28, of Ypsilanti, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, and 1-year-old Darwin Hafner, who was belted in a child safety seat in the center of the backseat. Newsome was sitting in the back seat beside the baby.

Jessica Hafner suffered serious injuries in the crash. Cannon and Darwin Hafner were not seriously injured.

• Read the Chelsea Standard article.