At approximately 10:15 a.m. on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2014, Fruitport Township Police Department responded to a single vehicle rollover crash that occurred on westbound I-96 at Airline Road.
The driver of a blue Chevrolet van lost control of the vehicle on icy roads. The van hit a snow bank and then went over the guardrail at this location, causing the van to roll over and go down a 75 foot embankment.
The vehicle came to rest on its roof with a 66-year-old male Norton Shores resident, who is confined to a wheelchair, being trapped inside the vehicle. He was able to call 9-1-1 and assist responders in locating him. Several feet of snow impeded access to the vehicle and patient.
Fruitport Township Fire Department responded with its Argo all-terrain vehicle. The Argo is equipped with tracks that allowed rescuers to gain access to the patient through the wooded area adjacent to I-96.
The patient was transported by the Argo to a nearby waiting ambulance. The driver, who had been properly seat belted, was transported to Hackley Hospital where he was treated and released.
Alcohol was not a factor in this crash.
Fruitport Township Police Department has responded to multiple crashes this morning (MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014), predominantly on the highways, as road conditions and visibility still provide challenges to motorists today.
