This SUV split in half after the person driving it reportedly lost control and rolled it December 5 in Ensley Township. Photo by J. Reed.

By Judy Reed

Information received in a freedom of information act request shows that a 1999 Ford Expedition was traveling between 65-69 mph when it left the roadway on 136^th Avenue in Ensley Township last month before rolling and splitting in half and pinning the passenger underneath. It also said the driver’s dog died in the crash.

The crash occurred on Tuesday, December 5, about 11:20 a.m. about 200-300 yards south of the intersection of Cottonwood and 136^th Street, with the vehicle landing on the farm property of John Patin, 8160 E. 136^th St.

According to information received from the Newaygo County Sheriff Department, the driver was identified as Aubrey Lynn Johnston, 18. Her passenger was Marc Adrian Guiles, 17. Johnston told Officer Hunter Neiderer that she was driving eastbound at about 60 mph when she lost control and the vehicle flipped. The officer reported he did not detect any odor or signs of intoxication coming from her.

The property owner, John Patin, said he was in the barn when he heard what sounded like metal grinding. He came outside and saw the driver, who was out of the vehicle, and next to her dog, who had died as a result of the crash. Patin asked if anyone else was in the vehicle and she told him that her friend Marc was. Patin saw mark with his leg trapped in the door and his head pinned underneath the body of the vehicle.

Sand Lake Fire was first on the scene, and was assisted by Cedar Springs and Solon Fire Departments. They reported that the passenger was unresponsive. Aero Med was called to the scene, and landed on the dirt road despite high winds. However, when it came time to transport the man, it was found that they would have to land at the Ford Airport and then transport the man to Butterworth, rather than landing on the roof of the hospital. That trip would take about 40 minutes and an ambulance trip only 30 minutes, so the man was transported by ambulance instead. A second ambulance was dispatched for the female.

Marc Guiles spent time at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in critical condition, but is now at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.

On May 3, Mr. Verwey’s high school Anatomy & Physiology class had an opportunity to visit Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. While learning about the mission of Mary Free Bed and the services they provide their patients, students were also granted a guided tour of the adult inpatient rehab gym and had an opportunity to explore and ask questions about the various occupational opportunities at the hospital. Many of the students taking the human anatomy course are interested in pursuing careers related to medicine, including nursing and physical therapy. The goal of this visit was to not only allow the students already interested in these fields to further investigate them, but also to learn about other fields, such as recreational and speech therapies, provided by the hospital that they might not be aware of. It also gave those students who were not sure about a career in medicine another opportunity to explore their future job options.

Additional to learning about careers, the students also realized what a patient at Mary Free Bed might have to go through to adjust to a new way of life. The tour of the hospital included a stop at their indoor grocery store, where patients relearn how to handle objects, negotiate obstacles, and deal with money. The students also saw the model apartments and indoor car within the inpatient gym, all set up to help patients readjust to everyday life activities. Many of the students commented on how they had not realized how many small details in their everyday life might have to be relearned following an accident or due to a disorder.

Overall, students valued the experience for not only witnessing the challenges to rehabilitation, but also for learning about the services provided by Mary Free Bed and the various job opportunities at the hospital.