Chelsea City Council Questions Fatal Head-On Collision

Police Chief confirms no pursuit involved in tragic June incident

Image: Eastbound Old US-12 in Chelsea. Image: Google Streetview

At the July 15, 2024, Chelsea City Council meeting, Police Chief Kevin Kazyak was asked if police pursuit was involved in a head-on collision that killed a 39-year-old Burton, MI, man a month earlier.

On June 8, 2024, at approximately 6:00 pm, the Chelsea Police Department received reports of a vehicle driving erratically on N/B M-52. Officers responded to the area and located the suspect vehicle, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, traveling E/B on Old US 12. Upon witnessing the erratic driving, officers activated their emergency lights to pull the vehicle over. The Toyota swerved into the W/B lane of traffic and into the path of a 2020 Dodge Ram pickup pulling a utility trailer, causing a head-on crash.

During Kazyak’s June report to the council, Councilmember Ruddock asked the Chief if the information he’d received of a police pursuit involved in the crash was correct.

“That is not correct,” replied Kazyak. “There was no pursuit.”

Chief Kazyak continued with the police report of the incident; “On June 8, at approximately 6 pm, a vehicle was traveling northbound on M-52 coming into our city. Chelsea PD had received two calls that a vehicle was weaving and driving erratically. Chelsea PD officers responded to the area and located the vehicle, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, as it turned eastbound onto old US-12 from M-52.”

Kazyak continued, “As officers caught up to the vehicle, they observed the Corolla weave to the right, almost striking the guardrail, and then start to weave to the left. As it was weaving to the left, the officers activated their emergency lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but it continued to veer into oncoming traffic, striking a 2020 Dodge Ram Pickup.”

The Chief explained the Officers immediately blocked traffic and attended to the occupants of both vehicles. The driver of the Corolla was unresponsive and stuck in the vehicle. Officers were able to remove the driver of the Corolla and immediately start CPR on that driver until paramedics arrived on the scene. Paramedics assisted with life-saving efforts, but the 39-year-old driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. The 33-year-old driver of the Dodge Ram and his four-year-old daughter were transported to Chelsea Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. She was in an approved car seat and buckled in. Both sustained only bumps and bruises.

Michigan State Police assisted with processing the scene. CPD is awaiting the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, which would include a toxicology report, before it can completely close the case.

“I would like to commend the actions of Officer Lauren Schneider and Officer Connor Cassar in their ability to set aside their feelings after witnessing such a horrific event,” said Kazyak. “They immediately provided care for the individuals.”

“There was no pursuit whatsoever,” emphasized the Police Chief. “They turned on the lights to try to affect a traffic stop, and he just continued to weave into oncoming traffic. So, there was no pursuit.”

Kazyak told the council CPD has dashcam video of the incident. A vehicle in front of the Dodge Ram was able to weave out of the way, but the pickup could not. CPD has some indications of possible medical issues prior to the crash but is waiting for the autopsy report to make a final determination.