Posted on 12/07/2001 10:52:07 AM PST by carenot
A police chase involving a stolen car and a 22-year-old drunken driver ended in tragedy with a collision that critically injured a pregnant Kalamazoo woman and killed her unborn twins, due to be born this month, according to Kalamazoo police.
The crash occurred around 1:20 a.m. today at the intersection of Riverview Drive and Bridge Street just northeast of downtown Kalamazoo.
The stolen car, a 2000 Mercury Sable, was carrying four men suspected in an armed robbery two hours earlier at Fazoli's Restaurant, 4615 W. Main, said Lt. Brian Uridge of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. The other vehicle was carrying four members of a Kalamazoo family returning from Borgess Medical Center.
Police were not releasing names of the people in the two cars.
The twins' mother, a 26-year-old, was in critical condition at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Also in the car was her mother, 41, in fair condition at Borgess with a broken ankle and leg injuries; a 30-year-old female relative, in good condition at Borgess with head lacerations; and an 11-year-old boy with minor injuries. It was not known whether the family members were wearing seat belts.
Police first noticed the stolen car on Bridge and Gull Road and tried to stop the car. The car immediately accelerated, other police cars joined the pursuit and, within two blocks, the driver ran a stop sign, slamming into the other vehicle, according to Kalamazoo police Lt. Joseph Taylor. A handgun was found in the Sable, which reportedly had been stolen Nov. 19 in Kalamazoo Township, Uridge said.
Uridge said police are investigating the possibility that the men in the stolen car participated in the robbery at Fazoli's, which occurred as the business was closing about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday.
"We're very confident that these are the same suspects," Uridge said.Police have charged the 22-year-old with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating liquor, causing death, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison; carrying a concealed weapon; and fleeing and eluding police. Two other men in the vehicle, ages 22 and 21, are facing charges of fleeing and eluding police. They are all to be arraigned Friday.
The fourth person in the car fled the scene and is being sought, police said. The twins were almost full-term, Taylor said."It's a sad case, and we're praying for the mother, too," Taylor said. "They (the twins) were due at the end of this month."
Stephanie Esters can be reached at 388-8554 or at se@kalamazoogazette.com.
I thought no one was killed, except a couple of tissue masses.
This is a tragedy!
Advice to the young woman: sue! sue! and then sue again!!!
If there was no mention of seat belts....it is safe to assume that the passengers were 'buckled in'. Had they not been....that would've been the first line of the story's second paragraph.
So sad to lose these young lives.....when they were so close to meeting their Mother, for the first time.
Maybe, sadly, with all things being considered......they're in a much better place.
No Drunk Drivers can touch them....now.....
My heart aches for this family's loss..
It seems it is alright to kill babies on purpose. But it is not alright if you commit another crime, and kill the baby by accident.
If you recall even the gist of what was attributed to me, I'd really appreciate an email.
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