A 16-year-old Howell boy was transported in serious condition to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor Saturday morning after swerving to avoid hitting a coyote, and instead crossing the center line of the roadway and hitting another vehicle head-on.
According to a release from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched at about 7:19 a.m. to the crash on Highland Road, west of Latson Road, in Oceola Township.
The preliminary investigation shows that the Howell teen was driving a 2017 Ford Fusion east on Highland Road (M-59), when he swerved to miss hitting a coyote. He crossed the center line and hit a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado head-on.
The driver of the Silverado was identified as a 41-year-old Pontiac man. There were two male passengers in the Silverado, one 22 and one 34, both of whom are also from Pontiac.
The Howell boy was transported to the UM Medical Center in serious condition by Livingston County EMS. All three men in the Silverado were transported to Providence Hospital in Novi with minor injuries by Livingston County EMS.
At the time of the crash, the drivers of both vehicles and the front-seat passenger in the Silverado were wearing their seatbelts. The rear-seat passenger in the Silverado was not.
Alcohol and speed do not appear to be contributing factors in the crash. The roadway remained closed for three hours for the investigation and clean up.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from the Howell Area Fire Department and Livingston County EMS. The incident remains under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Bureau.
