Charges Pending in Early-Morning Crash on I-75

Charges are pending against the driver of a Jeep Wrangler after an early-morning crash put his passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Sterling Heights, in the hospital with serious injuries, according to Troy Police Capt. Gerry Scherlinck.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, which is still under investigation, according to a media release from the .

Just before 6 a.m. Sunday, officers from the Troy Police Department and emergency personnel from Alliance Emergency Medical Services responded to a report of a roll-over crash with injuries on northbound Interstate 75 north of Wattles. 

Officers discovered the 2001 Jeep Wrangler resting on its passenger side in the northbound lanes. The female passenger from Sterling Heights had been ejected and was found on the pavement several feet away from the vehicle.

The woman was transported to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital where she remains under care for her injuries. As of Sunday afternoon, her injuries did not appear life-threatening, according to Scherlinck.

The male driver received non-life threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital, where he was treated and later released to police custody. 

The freeway remained closed for roughly four hours this morning as members of the South Oakland County Crash Investigation Team – which includes accident investigators from Troy, Auburn Hills and Bloomfield Township police departments – investigated the crash scene.  

According to Troy Police, the Jeep left the roadway and drove down the center median side ditch until it eventually came out of the ditch, re-entered the traffic lanes and rolled over onto its side. It appears that neither the driver nor the passenger were wearing seatbelts, according to police.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash and who has not yet been interviewed to contact the Troy Police Department at 248-524-3477.