Oakland County Deputy In Critical Condition After Being Hit By Car

David Hack is an Oakland County Sheriff Deputy. On January 4, 2018, around 7:00 AM, according to the Detroit Free Press, Hack was policing an accident that had occurred in front of Rochester Adams High School, in Rochester Hill, Michigan. Deputy Hack was standing in front of his car when he was struck by a Ford Taurus driven by a 24-year-old college student who was on her way to Oakland University. David Hack was taken to Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills by the Rochester Fire Department.

According to Click On Detroit, since the car accident, David has opened his eyes three times. It was reported that he is still in critical condition and has not regained consciousness, but is now stable. Deputy Hack's family is staying hopeful and his wife believes that he is aware that his family's presence in the hospital room.

Deputy Hack's car crash comes as yet another disheartening police car accident, since only six weeks ago, a Oakland County Sheriff Deputy passed away after he was also struck by a car on Thanksgiving day. The Detroit Free Press reported that Deputy Eric Overall, "had just deployed tire-deflating stop sticks on the southbound side of M-15 at Seymour Lake Road and was "well off the roadway" when the driver purposely swerved to hit him at about 12:30 a.m." 22-year-old Christopher Joseph Berak, the driver who hit Overall, has four prior convictions for marijuana possession and for resisting and obstructing police. 

While Oakland County and Michiganders may be surprised to hear about both of these police accidents, car crashes involving law enforcement officers are more common than most may think. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released statistics that found that 86 law enforcement officers were killed during in line-of-duty incidents in 2015. Of those 86 fatalities, 29 were police car crash deaths. 

While Deputy Overall's death was ruled a homicide, Deputy Hack's car crash was likely a non-intentional accident. While there is no surefire way to avoid causing a car accident, drivers would do well to always pay attention to their surroundings when operating a motor vehicle. For police car crashes in particular, one way to avoid car crashes with cops is to know how to respond when you are being pulled over by a law enforcement officer. The Michigan Law Firm, PC blog has previously discussed Michigan State Police Lieutenant Rob Davis' tips on what to do when a police officer pulls you over. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that each year 4,092 pedestrians are killed in motor related accidents. It's important for drivers to always be aware of their surroundings and to watch out for other cars as well as pedestrians. No matter how vigilant a driver is however, car accident can and do happen. If you have been involved in a car accident due to a negligent driver, call The Michigan Law Firm, PC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation with a car accident attorney today.

It's National Traffic Incident Response Week!

Most of us know to some extent that we need to slow down when an emergency vehicle is approaching, but do you know exactly what the law says? The Federal Highway Administration has declared the week of November 13-19, 2017, to be National Traffic Incident Response Week. The goal of the week is to raise awareness regarding the proper response when sharing the road with first responders. This week aims to remind drivers that they need to slow down and pull over, as well as help drivers be more aware of what laws their state specifically has in regard to emergency vehicles on the road. 

According to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), traffic incidents are the number one cause of death for EMT/EMS responders, and one of the leading causes of death for police officers. Nearly 13% of police officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty are killed in traffic incidents. OHS also notes that traffic incident managers often report that drivers simply are just unaware of the laws, in their state, regarding what to do if they are involved in an automobile accident. OHS suggests the following steps drivers can take in order to make the roads safer for first responders.

How Drivers Can Minimize First Responder Dangers

  • If you can steer it, clear it: After a fender-bender or crash, if (and only if) your car is driveable and there are no injuries, move your car to the shoulder or a nearby safe place off the road. Many drivers think they should not move their car until the police arrive and they can make an accident report, but this is false and can put drivers, their cars, and other people at risk.

  • Slow down and move over: When you pass by an incident scene and/or see lights, vests, or reflectors, slow down and move over. This provides a protective buffer for you, for emergency responders, and for the motorists behind you. You can get a ticket if you don't slow down and move over.

  • Drive safely: As always, drive sober and without distractions such as cell phones. Use your seat belt and stay aware of your surroundings.

In the state of Michigan, there is a law on the books specifically regarding emergency vehicles. The Emergency Vehicle Caution Law, also known as the Move Over Law, applies to police, fire, rescue, ambulance, and road service vehicles.

Michigan Move Over Law

On Roads With Two or More Lanes of Travel in the Same Direction

  • When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated carefully move over into an open lane.

  • If this is not possible due to traffic, weather, or road conditions, slow down and pass with caution, allowing the emergency vehicle as much space as possible.

On Roads With One Lane of Travel in Each Direction

  • When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated carefully move over into an open adjacent lane.

  • If this is not possible due to traffic, weather, or road conditions, slow down and pass with caution, allowing the emergency vehicle as much space as possible.

Drivers who violate the law face misdemeanor penalties. This can result in 4 points going on the driver’s license and/or fees and fines of up to $150. If violation of the law results in injury or death of a police officer, firefighter, or other emergency response person, the driver could face 15 years in prison and/or a fine of $7500.

First responders are there to keep us safe, especially if we find ourselves involved in a motor vehicle accident. As drivers, we need to repay the favor by making sure that first responders are safe when they’re on our roads. Being aware of your state’s laws so you know exactly what you need to do is best for keeping first responders safe, as well as keeping you out of legal trouble. By keeping first responders safe, we're helping them keep us safe.

While first responders are there to keep us safe in the event of a car collisions, they can't prevent them from happening. If you have been involved in an automobile accident call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free legal consultation  with an experienced accident attorney today. 

Suspect Tackled After High-Speed Chase On I-75

A dramatic scene unfolded on Friday, September 8, 2017 in Detroit as police tackled a suspect in the middle of traffic on I-75. Detroit Police arrested a man suspected of homicide, following a high speed chase that had started nearly an hour and a half earlier. According to Click on Detroit, police began following the suspect around 11:30 in the morning. After briefly losing the suspect, the chase resumed around 12:30 PM after his car, a grey Nissan Murano SUV, was spotted from a helicopter. The suspect drove into traffic on Grand River Ave, going in and out of parking structures, and entering and exiting both I-75 and I-96 multiple times. The chase concluded with the suspect being tackled to the ground by police at 12:50 PM.

While many would think an arrest on the highway would mean the suspect was in a car, the real story is much more interesting. The Detroit Free Press reported that the suspect pulled over on the shoulder of I-75 after sustaining a flat tire to his left front wheel. The suspect got out of the car, jumped over the median, and started running into northbound traffic. Police also exited their cars, hopped the median, and ran after the suspect. The suspect then ran up the hood of an oncoming Chrysler Town and Country, and stood on the roof of the vehicle. The Chrysler stopped moving, and police officers tackled the suspect from the roof of the car onto the ground. 

Police took the suspect into custody, where in addition to being charged with attempting to flee police and resisting arrest, he will also be questioned regarding the shooting of a woman. Officials say the woman in question is in “extremely grave condition”. 

The driver of the Chrysler vehicle spoke with the Detroit Free Press. He is an employee for an Italian company called Vigel North America and was driving a company car north from Detroit back to their headquarters in Madison Heights. The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, said “it looked like in the movies,” and that he had stopped the car “because [he] didn’t know what to do.” The driver is still distraught from the incident, saying he feared for his life and is “still shaking from what happened.”

Police chases as noteworthy as this one are rare.  A report published by USA Today found that 76% of police chases are over in 5 minutes or less. But sometimes, they go wrong. That same USA Today report found that nationally, 11,506 people have been killed in police chases between 1979 and 2013. That's an average of nearly one death per day. Of that number, more than 5,000 were innocent bystanders, most of whom were killed in their own car after being hit by a fleeing driver. In the state of Michigan, 27 people died as a result of police chases in 2014, according to Mlive. This is a significant increase from 16 deaths in 2013. While police chases like the one that happened on I-75 can be exciting and look like they are straight out of an action movie, it is clear that they can also be extremely dangerous. For more information on the dangers of high-speed police chases, check out this recent post from The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC blog.

High speed pursuits are dangerous for everyone involved - the police, the suspect, and innocent bystanders who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like any instance in which a car is speeding, motor vehicle accidents and pedestrian car crashes are possible. Call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation if you have been involved in an automobile accident. Our attorneys work hard to help those who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents.