Sterling Heights

Pregnant woman seriously injured, baby lost in crash

By Cortney Casey
C & G Staff Writer

A pregnant Shelby Township woman was seriously injured and her unborn child killed Nov. 6 after a car accident near 18 Mile and Ryan.

According to Sterling Heights police, the woman was traveling northbound in the right through- lane of Ryan around 2:55 p.m. when the accident occurred.

As she entered the intersection on a green signal, her 2007 Ford Focus was struck by a 2004 Toyota Rav4, driven by a 55-year-old Sterling Heights woman, who reportedly failed to yield while making a left turn from southbound Ryan to eastbound 18 Mile. The collision caused the Ford’s driver to veer off the roadway and strike a utility pole.

The Sterling Heights Fire Department and Universal Ambulance-Macomb arrived on the scene and provided medical treatment before transporting the woman to a local hospital in serious condition.

As of Nov. 12, she remained hospitalized in stable condition; however, her unborn child did not survive, said Lt. Dale Dwojakowski of the Sterling Heights Police Department’s traffic safety bureau.

According to Dwojakowski, it was unclear whether the Ford’s driver, who was about eight months pregnant, was wearing a seatbelt. The Toyota’s driver sustained minor injuries, he added.

Dwojakowski said the accident remains under investigation but no violations were issued at the scene, per standard protocol in crashes where one or more parties are conveyed to the hospital.

“At this point, we don’t believe drugs or alcohol had any impact in this collision, and we believe that the pregnant driver had a green light and was proceeding straight through the intersection when the other driver turned in front of her,” he said.

Police also indicated that speed did not appear to be a factor. Dwojakowski said the Toyota’s driver had a flashing red traffic signal at the time.

The intersection of 18 Mile and Ryan was closed for nearly two hours to accommodate an accident investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash or the events leading up to it is asked to call the Sterling Heights Police Department’s traffic safety bureau at (586) 446-2920.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1046.