By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A Wednesday morning car-vs-tree crash sent a local man to the hospital with serious injuries.

Deputies with the Livingston County Sheriff's Office were dispatched around 8:45am to a single vehicle personal injury crash on Francis Road in Marion Township. Preliminary investigation revealed that a 37-year-old Howell resident was operating a 2005 Ford Focus eastbound on Francis Road. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The Sheriff’s Office says the driver was unrestrained and struck the windshield, causing life threatening injuries. The driver was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor where he remains in critical condition.

The Sheriff’s Office says alcohol and speed do not appear to be factors in the crash. Deputies were assisted on the scene by the Howell Area Fire Department and Livingston County Ambulance.