STE. MARIE, Wayne County, Mich., Sept. 26, 2026 — Three people were seriously injured early on Friday morning, September 25, when a vehicle ran a stop sign and crashed at the intersection of M-28 and M-117 in Luce County. The driver was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated, according to Michigan State Police.
Troopers from the Sault Ste. Marie Post responded around 3 a.m. to a single-vehicle crash at the intersection. A preliminary investigation found the vehicle was heading north on M-117 when the driver reportedly failed to stop at M-28, crossing both lanes of the highway before running into a ditch and striking an embankment on the north side of the road.
All three passengers were seriously hurt, according to the report. Troopers gave first aid at the scene, including applying a tourniquet to one passenger who was bleeding severely, before EMS crews took all three to Helen Newberry Joy Hospital; their conditions have not been released.
The driver, a 27-year-old man from Cedarville, suffered only minor injuries and refused medical treatment. He reportedly showed signs of impairment and was arrested on a charge of operating while intoxicated causing incapacitating injury; he was booked into the Luce County Jail and has not been publicly named pending arraignment.
The crash remains under investigation. Michigan State Police were assisted by Luce County EMS, the Newberry Fire Department, and Chippewa County Central Dispatch.
Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and we wish them a full recovery.
What Drunk Driving Data Shows About Crashes Like This One
According to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, 272 of 1,021 fatal crashes were alcohol-involved in 2023. That's roughly one in four fatal crashes in the state, a share that has held steady for years despite decades of enforcement campaigns and public messaging.
The number reflects only fatal crashes, but impaired driving shows up across every severity level, from property-damage fender benders to crashes that leave passengers with injuries requiring hospitalization, as happened in Saturday's crash. Overnight and early-morning hours, like the 3 a.m. timeframe reported in Luce County, are when a large share of impaired-driving crashes occur, since that's when both fatigue and alcohol use are more common among drivers still on the road.
Rural highway intersections, where speeds are higher and traffic signals or stop signs may be the only control, are a common setting for these crashes. A driver who misses or ignores a stop sign at speed usually can't correct in time, especially if reaction times are already slowed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do right after a car crash? Call 911, check for injuries, and stay put if it's safe to do so until officers or EMS arrive. Take photos of the scene if you're able, and get the names and badge numbers of responding officers.
What injuries are common in intersection crashes like this one? Broken bones, internal injuries, and severe bleeding are common when a vehicle leaves the roadway or strikes a fixed object like an embankment. Tourniquets and other field first aid, as troopers applied here, can be critical in the minutes before EMS arrives.
Do weather or road conditions play a role in crashes like this? Yes. Darkness, wet pavement, and poor visibility at rural intersections all raise the odds a driver misses a stop sign or traffic signal, especially at higher speeds or when impairment is involved.
How can drivers stay safer at rural intersections? Slowing down well before an intersection, scanning for stop signs even in low light, and never driving after drinking are the basics that prevent most of these crashes.
What to Do After a Car Crash in Ste. Marie, MI
If you or someone you know is involved in a serious crash near Ste. Marie, get medical care right away, even if injuries seem minor at first. Some injuries, including internal bleeding, don't show symptoms immediately.
Request a copy of the police report once it's available, and keep records of any medical treatment, hospital visits, or follow-up care. If another driver's impairment or actions contributed to the crash, documentation from the scene and from your own medical evaluation can matter later, so don't skip it even if you feel fine in the moment.
