Fatal Crash Investigation Nearly Complete in Bloomfield Hills

Officers with the Bloomfield Hills Department of Public Safety are still waiting for findings from the Michigan State Police to close their investigation into the crash that killed Sonja Raetz on Woodward Avenue.

However, the preliminary investigation shows Raetz tried to cross four lanes of traffic just south of Long Lake Road in order to head the opposite direction on Woodward when the crash occurred on June 26, DPD Chief David Hendrickson said. 

Officers responded to the area just south of the intersection at about 3:40 p.m. and immediately started CPR on Raetz, 66, who was alone in the vehicle. She was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Pontiac where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. 

"They did everything they could to try and save her, but the impact and injuries were just too severe," Hendrickson said. 

Investigators learned Raetz was headed to a meeting in Bloomfield Hills regarding a real estate sale, but missed the driveway to the office building. She pulled into the Dittrich Furs parking lot to turn around, and attempted to reach the turnaround lane to northbound Woodward Avenue when a Chevy Tahoe struck her Chevy Impala on the driver-side door. Her vehicle launched onto the median before stopping. The other driver was not injured. 

There was no evidence of alcohol involved, reports said. 

Hendrickson said investigators sent the 'black box' recorders from both vehicles to the Michigan State Police for analysis, and they expect the results any time. It appears there was little the driver of the Tahoe could do to stop in time, he added.

"This is just an unfortunate event and we feel very badly for the Raetz family, and the other driver involved," Hendrickson said. 

Reatz, a native of Lockport, New York, is survived by her husband of 48 years, David J. Raetz, two sons, two grandsons, a brother and many nieces and nephews, according to her obituary.