|
|
Gavin Decker, a 20-year-old from Lake Odessa, is facing a long recovery after being involved in a car-train accident on Dec. 4. — Submitted photo
ODESSA TOWNSHIP — A Lake Odessa man faces a long recovery after suffering a plethora of injuries as a result of a car-train accident on Dec. 4.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to reports of a vehicle versus train crash at about 4:40 p.m. near the intersection of Huddle Road and Jordan Lake Street in Odessa Township.
According to a preliminary investigation of the crash, Gavin Decker, 20, was driving a 1998 Honda Civic northbound on Huddle Road when his vehicle was struck by an eastbound train.
Decker, the lone occupant of the vehicle, was transported to Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids with “life-threatening injuries” after being extricated from the car. He currently remains in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
“Some very serious injuries and a great save by our first-responders,” Odessa Township Treasurer Sharon Rohrbacher said. “They had him extricated in 11 minutes.
“And he’s sitting up in bed chatting,” she added after visiting Decker in the hospital. “Lots of healing ahead but what a miracle.”
The Dec. 4 incident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s officials were assisted at the scene by the Lake Odessa Police Department, Odessa Township Fire Department, Life EMS, Ionia County Central Dispatch, Corewell Health Aero Med Transport and Reed & Hoppes Towing.
