Two Separate Accidents Involving Trailered Jetskis Injure Occupants

The Leelanau County Sheriff's Office handled two separate accidents over the weekend involving trailered jetskis, with multiple injuries resulting from both crashes.

In the first case, a 78-year-old Traverse City woman was driving east on East Lakeview Hills Road Saturday shortly after 10:30am when she failed to stop for the stop sign at East Lakeview Hills Road and South Lake Leelanau Drive. The woman, who was driving a 2009 Honda SUV, struck a northbound 2011 Ford pick-up truck, which was pulling a trailer with two jetskis on it. The truck and trailer went off the northeast corner of the intersection and rolled over.

The truck was being driven by a 53-year-old Traverse City man, who received minor injuries in the crash. The woman driving the Honda also received minor injuries. Neither driver had to be taken to the hospital. Both jetskis and the trailer were damaged in the accident, and the woman was cited for disregarding a stop sign.

In the second case, authorities responded to the scene of an accident (pictured) at the intersection of South West Bay Shore Drive and East Cherry Bend Road just after 8pm Sunday. A 26-year-old Lewiston woman had been driving north on South West Bay Shore Drive in her 2011 GMC SUV and turned left at the intersection into the path of a 50-year-old Traverse City man, who was driving a 2014 Chevrolet van with a jetski on a trailer behind it. The vehicles collided almost head-on, and the jetski was ejected from the trailer.

The driver of the van received minor injuries in the crash, but his 42-year-old femage passenger had to be hospitalized for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. An 18-year-old male passenger also received minor injuries. The driver of the GMC was also taken to Munson with non-life threatening injuries, and was cited for failing to yield upon a left turn.