Midland County News

The Midland County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accident that claimed the life of a 51 year old Midland male.  The accident occurred on Redstone Road west of Pine River Road in between the road and the ditch.  The accident involved a tractor that had a trailer attached.  The accident occurred on March 15th, 2015 at approximately 4:00 pm.  The subject was pronounced dead at the scene by Medical Examiner Dr. Dennis Wagner.

From the initial investigation it appears the subject was loading wood onto the trailer.  Witnesses who arrived on scene said the subject was found lying on the ground between the tractor and trailer.  Foul play is not expected at this time.

The Midland County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by MMMC EMS personnel and the St. Louis Fire Department.  The traffic crash remains under investigation as well as the results of an autopsy.

March 4, 2015

The Midland County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a car/pedestrian accident that claimed the life of a 36 year Coleman resident.  The incident took place in the parking lot of the Hamilton Street Apartments in the City of Coleman at approximately 8:02 am on March 3, 2015.

Our investigation has determined that the driver of the vehicle had pulled into the parking lot of the apartment to pick up the victim and her child.  They were going to drop the children off at school and then go shopping.   The driver noticed that the child was not wearing proper cold weather attire and sent the child in the house to retrieve it.  She remained in her car and waited.   While the driver was waiting another resident of the apartment complex needed to leave and the driver’s car was parking behind this vehicle. The driver did not see the victim and assumed that she had gone in the house to assist the child with the clothing.  This was not the case.  Unbeknownst to the driver, her friend had fallen down in front of her 2004 GMC Yukon.   The driver pulled her vehicle forward to allow the other vehicle to leave and ran over her friend. 

The victim, 36 year old Kathleen Hughes of Coleman was taken to MidMichigan Health in Midland where she was pronounced dead.  It is unknown what caused the victim to fall in front of the vehicle.  An autopsy has been performed in an attempt to make a determination.  

This incident remains under investigation.  The Midland County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by MidMichigan Health EM and the Coleman Fire Department  

Sheriff Scott Stephenson

Emergency responders from Midland County attended a 2-hour training session in Saginaw on March 4th to refresh their procedures dealing with Pipeline Safety.  Members of Midland County's Emergency Management team attended along with representatives of county fire and Midland 911.

While the information was presented to industry professionals, the overarching message urged everyone to call 811 before digging.  The US has over 2.4 million miles of pipeline that provides 65% of our nation's energy.

Homeowners and Contractors can avoid disaster by calling 811 before digging.  Utilities will visit the construction site and provide free location marking.

The National Weather Service is forecasting statewide wind chills to periodically dip down to 20 degrees below zero or lower through at least Sunday, Feb. 15. The coldest wind chills are expected Saturday night and into Sunday morning and could fall to 30 degrees below zero or colder.

Exposure to these temperatures could potentially cause frostbite and hypothermia, as well as create hazardous driving conditions.

To stay safe during cold weather:

• Stay indoors if possible. If you must go outside, wear protective gear—such as hats, mittens and gloves—in addition to a warm coat. Always protect your lungs with a scarf.
• Understand the hazards of wind chill. As wind speed increases, heat is carried away from a person's body more rapidly and could lead to severe hypothermia.
• Watch for signs of frostbite, which include loss of feeling or pale appearance of fingers, toes or face. A wind chill of 20 degrees below zero can cause frostbite in just 30 minutes.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia, which include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, drowsiness and exhaustion.
• Remove clothing if it gets damp or wet. Wet clothing can make you more prone to hypothermia.
• Weather-proof doors and windows to trap heat inside your home.
• Check heating units. Poorly operating or damaged heating units can release carbon monoxide gas. Test carbon monoxide detectors for proper operation and battery life.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who are at risk and may need additional assistance.
• Watch pets closely and keep them indoors when possible. Animals can suffer from hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries.
• Check and restock your emergency preparedness kit. If you don't have a kit, make one.
• Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a full tank of gas and an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle. Put warm clothing—such as gloves, blankets and hats—in your kit in case you become stranded.