Port Sheldon Twp, MI (July 29, 2026) – US-31 was closed in both directions at Croswell Street after a serious injury wreck on Wednesday evening, July 28, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. The crash happened around 8:15 p.m. near the intersection.
Deputies were on scene awaiting a medical helicopter to assist with transport, according to a preliminary report from Sgt. Alex DeJong. No further details were available as of this report.
The investigation remains ongoing. We hope the injured party has a full recovery.
Why Do Some Crash Sites Require a Helicopter Instead of an Ambulance?
When someone’s injuries are severe enough, getting them to a trauma center quickly can matter more than any single step of treatment along the way. A helicopter can dramatically reduce travel time compared to a ground ambulance, especially if the nearest fully equipped hospital is a longer drive away.
Crews on scene typically make this call based on the severity of visible injuries and vital signs, weighing that against the distance to the nearest appropriate trauma center by road. For certain injuries, minutes saved in transport can meaningfully affect the outcome.
Weather, available landing space, and daylight all factor into whether a helicopter can respond at a given moment. Closing a roadway in both directions, as happened here, is necessary to create a safe landing area nearby when a crash occurs on or near the highway itself.
