TALLMADGE TWP, MI (WHTC) – A 16-year-old Grand Rapids teenager is in stable condition after rolling his vehicle after being distracted by his cell phone.
Sgt. Eric Westveer of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were dispatched to Leonard just East of 42nd Avenue in Tallmadge Township around 4:16 p.m. on Monday, March 20.
The investigation shows that Michael Kirby was traveling eastbound on Leonard when he took his eyes off the roadway to look at his cell phone. Upon looking back at the roadway, he then observed a westbound school bus which was stopped with red lights activated. He then hit his brakes in an attempt to stop and lost control of his vehicle. The vehicle veered off the right side of the roadway and rolled multiple times.
Witnesses to the crash did assist Kirby out of his vehicle and extinguished small fire that started in the grass as a result of the crash. He sustained injuries in the crash and was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids by Life EMS.
Alcohol use is not a factor in the crash which remains under investigation.
