Fred Christmas
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
LUDINGTON — A 67-year-old Free Soil man who crashed into a Riverton Township barn, sparking a fire, faces two methamphetamine/ecstasy possession charges.
Fred Arthur Christmas was arrested on one count of methamphetamine/ecstasy possession following the July 21 crash.
The 11:48 a.m. crash involved a Chevrolet Cruz that was northbound on Stiles Road. Christmas appeared to have mis-navigated the S-curves and drove into a yard. The vehicle struck the concrete foundation of a former silo next to a historic barn. The impact was so powerful that the engine block of the vehicle was discharged from the vehicle. The impact also caused the vehicle to catch on fire and then spread to the south side of the barn.
Christmas sustained minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Corewell Health Ludington Hospital.
The crash was investigated by the Michigan State Police, said Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole. “We arrested him on the MSP warrant, and he had meth on him when we arrested him.”
That resulted in Christmas being charged with a second count of methamphetamine/ecstasy possession, July 30, court records show.
“One charge is from him having meth on him when he was transported to the hospital, and one charge was from him having possession upon arrest for a warrant,” said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand.
Christmas remains lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $25,000/cash bond.
He was previously convicted of methamphetamine/ecstasy possession and third-offense habitual offender June 20, 2023 in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court and was sentenced Aug. 8, 2023 to one year in jail, with nine months up front, and two years probation. That sentence was ordered to run concurrently to convictions of methamphetamine/ecstasy possession and assault with a dangerous weapon. He received 68 days credit in the first file and 85 days credit in the second file.
He is scheduled for two court appearances in Mason County’s 79th District Court with a preliminary exam set for Aug. 19 at 1:30 p.m. and a second preliminary exam Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m.
Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief, contributed to this report
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