Driver pleads ‘no contest’ to OWI causing serious injury.

Strait

Driver pleads ‘no contest’ to OWI causing serious injury.

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By Allison Scarbrough, Editor. 

LUDINGTON — A Ludington man who was 21 years old at the time of his arraignment,* pleaded “no contest” to operating while intoxicated causing serious injury in 51st Circuit Court Tuesday, April 5.

Kegan David Strait, formerly from Oceana County, was the driver of a 2011 BMW that crashed into several trees along Lakeshore Drive last October, critically injuring a 17-year-old boy.

Strait was charged in December by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

Both Strait and the teen were hospitalized following the crash, said Mason County Assistant Prosecutor Beth Hand. The BMW was totaled, said Hand, and marijuana and alcohol were found in Strait’s system.

The victim was flown via Aeromed to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids with critical injuries.

“Upon the arrival of emergency crews, both front seat occupants were found unconscious and seriously injured,” previously said Sheriff Kim Cole. “The driver — a 20-year-old man from Hart (Strait) — was transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital with serious injuries,” said Cole. “An 18-year-old Oceana County female riding in the back seat was treated at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Judge Susan K. Sniegowski read statements from the victim’s mother that are contained in the presentence investigation report. The mother described that her son was in a coma and had a tracheotomy and feeding tube. He was in intensive care for seven weeks and was using a walker the last time he appeared in court regarding the case.

Sentencing is set for May 24 at 1 p.m.

*The Michigan Supreme Court entered an order, effective Jan. 1, 2022, that protects certain personal identifying information, such as defendants’ dates of birth.

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