Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Speed is believed to be a factor in a serious crash early Sunday morning in Hartland Township that sent four teens to the hospital.

The crash happened at approximately 3:20am. Deputies with the Livingston County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to Bullard Road south of Read Road for a vehicle versus tree injury crash.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2007 Chevy Impala was traveling south on Bullard Road at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree head-on. After impacting the tree, the vehicle rebounded from the impact and then overturned back onto the roadway.

The driver, a 16-year-old male Howell resident, was seat belted and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The front seat passenger, an 18-year-old male Fenton resident, was unrestrained and sustained life-threatening injuries. The front seat passenger was entrapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by fire personnel.

There were two rear seat passengers, 16- and 17-year-old male Howell residents, who were unrestrained and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

All occupants of the vehicle were transported to the U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor by Livingston County EMS.

The Sheriff’s office says speed appears to be a contributing factor in the crash while alcohol does not. The road was closed for approximately four hours for the investigation and clean up.

Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from Livingston County EMS and Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority.

The incident remains under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Bureau.