Crash closes U.S. 131
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Kalamazoo Gazette Staff Reports

WHITE PIGEON -- A stretch of U.S. 131 from the Indiana state line to White Pigeon was shut down for about two hours Friday night after a ``serious'' automobile accident, said Sgt. James Bennett of the Michigan State Police post in Paw Paw.
The highway's northbound and southbound lanes were closed shortly before 7 p.m. so that a medical helicopter could be brought in, Bennett said. The road was reopened by 9 p.m., but details on the accident, people involved and injuries were unavailable late Friday.

WMSH RADIO -- (WHITE PIGEON) – A three vehicle crash closed down U.S. 131 near the state line Friday night. Michigan State Police were called to U.S. 131 and Anderson Road just after 6:30 PM. Forty-six year old Donald Garton of Bristol Indiana was driving east and failed to stop at the intersection of U.S. 131. He pulled into the intersection and was hit by a southbound vehicle driven by 57 year old Sherry Opalka of Kalamazoo. Garton's vehicle continued east while Opalka's vehicle rotated to the east. One or both vehicles hit a northbound car driven by Russell Black of White Pigeon. Garton and Opalka were pinned in their vehicles and had to be removed by rescue personnel. They were both initially taken to Three Rivers Health and then both flown to Kalamazoo area hospitals. Black was not injured in the crash.

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I was a little freaked out last night, and I didn't sleep well. This accident happened right in front of me. The woman that was flown out was really messed up. When I called it in, I thought she was dead because she was unresponsive and I couldn't find a pulse. She awoke after a few minutes and pulled her head back as she took a huge weazing breath. Her eyes were bug-wide open and she had a terrified look in them. I was at her door window (which was smashed out), and her eyes met mind. There was a pitiful pleading wonder in her eyes. I told her to be still and that help was on the way. I told her we wouldn't leave her, and she was going to be OK. She seemed to calm down a little, but she was having serious trouble breathing...she was also trapped. I stayed until the firemen made us leave so they could cut her out of the car. I have seen the helpless pleading in her eyes over and over and over again...it is haunting.

UPDATE: I visited Sherry in the hospital that Sunday. She had 6 broken ribs a broken pelvis and leg. She was upbeat, and it really helped me. I have also since learned that according to the other driver's coworker he had no driver's license, insurance and blew way over the legal limit for alcohol.