LAPEER, MI – A 45-year-old man faces six felony counts in connection with a head-on crash in Lapeer County that led to the deaths of a Marlette couple.
Michael Burns, of Davison, was arraigned Jan. 13 in 71-A District Court on four counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and two counts of reckless driving causing death.
Deputies with the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly before 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 to the area of M-24 (North Lapeer Road) north of Mayfield Road in Mayfield Township, north of Lapeer, for a report of a two-vehicle personal injury crash involving a car and motorcycle.
A 2005 GMC Envoy was headed north on M-24. Witnesses told deputies they observed the vehicle driving in an erratic pattern.
The Envoy crossed the center line into the southbound lane of traffic and into the path of a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle, police said.
Couple on motorcycle dies in head-on crash
Both occupants of the motorcycle -- Brian Stamp, 53, of Marlette, and Rhonda McHaffy, 51, of Marlette -- were ejected.
The pair were boyfriend and girlfriend, police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Both victims had on helmets at the time of the crash.
Burns was transported by ambulance to McLaren Lapeer Region and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
M-24 was closed between Mayfield and Plum Creek roads for more than two hours to allow for rescue and investigative purposes.
Lapeer County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Jason Parks said it was determined Burns was on an illegal substance at the time of the crash.
Burns was issued a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and has been released from the Lapeer County Jail. He’s due back in court later this week.