Passenger injured, woman arrested after I-94 crash near Lawrence
A woman was arrested near Lawrence on Wednesday after police found marijuana in her car after a crash.
Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded about 8 a.m. to the crash on I-94 near mile marker 49 in Lawrence Township.
Deputies found a heavily damaged Honda SUV in the median after it hit the cable barrier. The semi-truck had stopped about a quarter mile west.
Investigators determined the SUV entered a travel lane and hit the rear of the semi-truck. The SUV then went into the median and hit the cable barrier.
The woman driving the SUV showed possible signs of impairment, deputies said. They reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana and suspected she was under the influence of drugs after a field sobriety test.
Deputies took her for a blood draw before booking her into the Van Buren County Jail on suspicion of operating while under the influence of drugs.
A male passenger in the SUV sustained head lacerations and was evaluated at the scene by medical personnel. Deputies later took him to a location he selected.
The investigation remains open while authorities await the blood-analysis results.
Michigan law on drug-impaired driving
Michigan law prohibits operating a vehicle while under the influence of a controlled or otherwise intoxicating substance. MCL 257.625 also prohibits driving when a substance has visibly impaired a person’s ability to operate the vehicle.
An arrest, a field sobriety test or a pending laboratory analysis does not establish guilt. Criminal and civil proceedings apply different legal questions, so a criminal outcome does not automatically resolve fault in an insurance or injury claim.
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