A Sparta man was put into a medically induced coma last Saturday after suffering a head injury in an automobile accident.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, they and other agencies responded to the scene of a crash on 13 Mile Road, west of Phelps, at 2:47 a.m. on July 31 and found a man lying in the roadway.

Police determined that Marc Anthony Padilla, 39, of Sparta, was eastbound on 13 Mile Road in a 1995 Chevy Blazer when he lost control at the curve in the roadway west of Phelps Avenue. The vehicle struck several mailboxes and rolled several times, ejecting the driver approximately 32 feet from the vehicle.

The victim suffered several cuts, punctures, abrasions and a closed head injury. He was transported to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital and put into a medically induced coma.

Police believe alcohol to be a factor in the accident, which is still under investigation.

Sparta Fire and Rescue and the Sparta Police Department both assisted at the scene.