Minivan hits, kills pedestrian in Ypsilanti Township
A 42-year-old Ypsilanti Township man died Saturday after being struck by a minivan driven by a drunk driver while crossing South Harris Road at Share Avenue.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office officials said Gregory Scott Andrews, 42, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 10:55 p.m. Saturday. Andrews stepped in front of the minivan while attempting to cross South Harris Road and was struck.
The 38-year-old Ypsilanti Township man who was driving the minivan was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving at the scene of the crash, Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said.
“He was given some sobriety tests on the scene and blood was drawn for analysis regarding his intoxication levels,” Fox said.
The man was still being held in the Washtenaw County Jail as of Monday morning. Fox said it was up to prosecutors to decide if he would be charged with any formal crimes on Monday or if charges would come after the blood test analysis was done.
There is a crosswalk at the southern crossing over South Harris Road at Share Avenue, but Fox said he did not know if Andrews was using the crosswalk or not. He said it did not appear the driver of the minivan had a lot of time to brake before hitting Andrews.
“It sounds like he basically stepped out in front of the car,” he said.
The 38-year-old man was still lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail as of Monday morning. His name will be released when he is formally arraigned on criminal charges.
Comments
amanda
Wed, Dec 12, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
that was my dad and i know he wouldnt of walked out in front of the car like that he was always a happy person and a good dad to me and my big sister R.I.P. daddy i miss you
Y
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 4:06 p.m.
Don't make excuses for drunk driving.They murder innocent people everyday and my heart goes out to this family, yet another victim of senselessness. Police do alcohol screening at the scene so no one is sitting in jail just to take up space. Anyone can blame speed limits, darkness, crosswalks, but let's talk about the real issue. Someone got behind the wheel drunk. You could improve all those things and if someone blows thru there intoxicated or impaired with anything else it's not going to change the potential outcome. Focus your efforts on stiffer drunk driving laws and be glad it wasnt someone you know that was killed. Next time it might be.
Karen Winters
Wed, Aug 29, 2012 : 11:33 a.m.
Y- do you live on S. Harris? No one is making "excuses" however pretty much all the posts indicate how dangerous day and night that corner can be sober or drunk. There was a party somewhere in the area where the gentleman got hit, who's to say he wasn't stumbling drunk and walked OUT into traffic which if you read the article it sounds like what happened.
Y
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 7:19 p.m.
As I said you can improve upon any intersection...there are plenty of those out there causing issues... But no genius engineer in the world will ever make it safe enough at the hands of a drunk driver with a loaded gun under their hands.
akronymn
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 5:06 p.m.
Certainly this individual should be charged to the full extent of the law. At the same time this is an opportunity to improve an intersection that is known to be dangerous.
andercar
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 11:39 a.m.
On Sat. at 10 p.m. I was going west on Washtenaw and right where it becomes Stadium (by the Bearclaw Coffee Co) a man stepped off the curb on my right and I almost hit him and he started laughing. If it was raining or if I had not been driving defensively I probably would have hit him. I had the green light but the small crosswalk is past the signal. Check the area out the next time you drive that way and see what I mean.
Karen Winters
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 11:28 p.m.
First big surprise on the drunk driver. Second I have lived on S. Harris for almost 15 years and the limit by no means should be anything but 25. Thirdly... awful intersection at the "stop and rob" at Share and Harris. It's nearly pitch dark at that location and everyone stumbles from that store to walk across the street and vice versa. NO there isn't a cross walk, there isn't even any light ( ok barely any light). I've nearly hit people STONE COLD SOBER driving home some nights. No one pays attention to the traffic on ANY part of the street and yes people cross every where and no less stop on the yellow line to continue crossing over. The speed limit isn't 35 it's 45-50. Sit on my porch for a day and don't get me started with the "non-existent" stop at Foley and Harris. I knew as soon as we saw all the commotion what happened.
Silly Sally
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 2:47 a.m.
My dad would always say that, "too many of the lower classes have little regard for their own personal safety", but then he never saw UM students crossing a street, either.
GP
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 1:05 a.m.
Karen, you pretty much summed up what its like at that corner. Jaywalk central and one of the worst places for it too. I'm surprised it hasn't happened more often. Sometimes it feels like people want to get hit or are daring you to hit them as you slam on the breaks to avoid the jaywalkers who walk out from the dark (or yes folks, into oncoming traffic in broad daylight). I simply don't understand why this happens.
ferdcom
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 9:40 p.m.
Was the driver drunk, or not? First paragraph says he was, rest of story says it hasn't been determined.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 3:58 p.m.
How terrible. If it turns out that this driver was drinking, I hope there will be some jail time involved.
slave2work
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 3:52 p.m.
On a good bright day.. going 25 mph.. it still would be easy to hit someone. That is the worst area. People just walk willy nilly where ever they want to. Having the " stop n rob".. right there doesn't help at all. OOO and btw annarbor.com, look at your 1st paragraph, you broke your own rules by saying the driver was drunk. assume nothing!!! alleged drunk driving.
GP
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 1:01 a.m.
And I believe they are not confirming the drunken part until blood tests come back. Maybe he was perfectly sober.
Cory
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 3:07 p.m.
I'm a usual speeder, but that particular road is NOT a 35mph zone. It's one of the few places that I actually drive under the speed limit. Too many people from that apartment complex just walk across the street wherever. The street markings are horribly faded. The lighting is nearly non-existent. Who do we talk to about improving the lighting in that area?
Life in Ypsi
Mon, Aug 27, 2012 : 2:51 p.m.
By no means am I making an excuse for a drunk driver, but that area is very dark. It's hard to see people in the street. There are always people going back and forth to the store and lots of cars parked On Harris blocking views. I wish they would lower that area back to 25 mph.
GP
Tue, Aug 28, 2012 : 12:59 a.m.
I am not usually one for lowering speed limits, but on that corner I certainly agree. People appear in the street out of nowhere and are not always wearing light colored clothing which makes them even harder to see.