20-year-old man killed after truck plunges into Clinton River
(WJBK) - One person has died after a driver lost control of his truck, flipping over into the Clinton River.
The Waterford Township police and fire departments arrived to the scene around 12:45 a.m. on Hatchery between Dixie Highway and Frembies.
Investigators remained there for hours trying to figure out what caused the deadly crash.
A witness told police they saw a GMC Sierra driving eastbound on Hatchery Road lose control while coming out of a curve.
The truck then struck a solar powered construction sign before ending up in the Clinton River and rolling over on its roof.
"All of the sudden we heard the loudest boom. So loud. Like nothing I've ever heard before," Riley Freeman said.
Emergency crews were able to save a 22-year-old Waterford man who was trapped in the vehicle, but were unable to save his friend.
The 20-year-old driver from Milford was submerged underwater until rescue crews could get him out.
"They wheeled a guy up on the stretcher. He appeared to be alive, just wobbly. The second guy was shirtless. I saw them instantly do compressions on him it was very, very scary and startling," Freeman said.
Investigators are waiting for test results to come back to determine whether alcohol played a part in the early morning accident.
It is also unclear right now whether the two men trapped inside the truck were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
"It's Memorial Day weekend. We are celebrating for the people who died for us and we don't want tragedies from something like that. It's very sad," Freeman said.