5 Dead in Head-on Collision on I-280 (Drunk Driver)

MyFoxToledo.com ^ | December 31, 2007

[ShadowDancer]

5 Dead in Head-on Collision on I-280

Police believe victims were a family from Maryland

Last Edited: Monday, 31 Dec 2007, 5:26 AM EST
Created: Monday, 31 Dec 2007, 12:33 AM EST

An alleged drunk driver in a black pick-up truck heading northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate-280 near the I-75 interchange collided with a white minivan with eight passengers, killing five.

The five passengers killed were all females -- a mother, two 10-year-old girls, a 7-year-old girl, and a 6-month-old girl. The father, and 8-year-old girl, and an 8-year-old boy survived.

Four of the family members died at the scene of the crash, Toledo Police say. The infant died after being transported to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.

All of the surviving victims, including the alleged drunk driver, were also taken to St. Vincent for treatment.

Police believe the family is from Maryland because the white minivan had Maryland license plates.

The accident happened right before 11 p.m. Sunday, an hour before New Year's Eve.

The force of the impact was so severe that the pick-up truck sheared off the passenger side of the minivan, killing those on the right side of the vehicle.

"The preliminary report we have is that a pick-up truck going the wrong way on I-280 here and hit a minivan head-on," said Sgt. Jeff Pachall, Toledo Police spokesperson. "The sole occupant of the pick-up truck is injured but alive.

"There are several fatalities out of the minivan and it appears to be a family traveling from Maryland."

Police say the family appears to be non-traditional.

The accident happened between the I-75 split and the Manhattan Boulevard exit.

A witness tells FOX Toledo News that he, along with an off-duty emergency medical technician and an off-duty police officer, freed some of the victims from their seatbelts and performed CPR before emergency crews arrived.

Other people told police the appeared to be drunk. Police say the driver, who suffered minor injuries, is from Adrian, Mich.

"The witnesses say he was [drinking], but I didn't talk to him," Sgt. Pachall said. "He looks like he was but I don't have any information. He was struggling with the firemen [trying to treat him]. He was screaming as they were trying to get him out of the pick-up."

Because of his belligerent demeanor, an officer rode with the suspect in the ambulance. Another officer followed behind in a patrol car.

The Lenawee County man admitted to police that he was drunk at the time of the crash.

A search warrant was issued for the driver's blood and sent it away for testing. Results were not immediately known. He is being held at St. Vincent for observation.

The crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.

[christinelynn89]

hi my name is christine and i knew these people very well, they were such great kids, omg they were amazing. My mother was having a serious relation ship with the father of the burkmans, see the father that was in the car, was the new husband to the lady beth, they were heading home to maryland from christmas vacation, i miss the kids so much. they loved my family and as did we, the girls looked to thyere father with so much lo0ve and pride. it kills me that this had to happen to them, and the rest of them what did they do, why7 did they deserve this.... that murderer needs to burn in hell for all eternaty. many people gave in reports to the police about they belive the guy is drunk and that he was driving before he even went on the wrong side of the highway. there were multiple calls. and they can be heard at a site. one guy even called that worked at mcdonalds and told the poilice he was a drunk driver but yet the police didnt come, they took too damn long. all this could of possibly be avoided, many people have made websites devoted to them alone on myspace, with picyures and everything else. REST IN PEACE WE ALL LOVE YOU GUYS AND WANT YOU TO KNOW WE STILL REMEMBER, And YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOtEN http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums&friendID=307161215

[christinelynn89]

Clara and Michael Sr. speak live to Troy Neff

To listen to them click the links below:

Clara:

http://www.troyneff.com/podcast/podaudio08/063008/claragagnon.mp3

Michael, Sr.

http://www.troyneff.com/podcast/podaudio08/063008/gagnonSr.mp3

It is nice to hear that she regrets writing what she wrote on her blog.

However, it appears they do plan on appealing the judgement handed down.

I can only pray that if they do it is either denied or that the new judge gives the same judgement or possibly even a harder judgement for them dragging this out even more.

43 years seems like a lot if it was one death. It’s 5 deaths. I think that’s what they don’t understand. It seems they are looking at this and lumping it all together and therefore thinking 43 years is a lot.

It’s only 8 years per each death and the 3 other years are for the damage that was done to the survivors. Sydney, Danny and Beau. Sydney got the worst damage and life for her is not the same, period. Without going into details, because I don’t want to share more than Jodie wants shared - but suffice it to say that Sydney has a long road to recovery and may never be “whole” again.

Danny and Beau are fairing much better, thank the Lord.

[My Favorite Headache]

Prayers for your lost friends...your pain still shows it’s very real. You must be quite young yourself.