Driver jailed for causing girlfriend to fall out of truck

September 3, 2026

By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor

LUDINGTON — A 26-year-old man was sentenced to seven months in jail for a conviction of reckless driving causing serious impairment‎ in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Michels

Garrett Allen Michels pleaded no contest, June 30, to the felony charge after a female passenger, 45-year-old Tina Davis, fell out of the pickup truck he was driving in Scottville last fall.

“She was a passenger in the cab of the truck, and the door opened and she fell out,” said Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.

The accident occurred when Michels went around the corner in a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck by the Wesco convenience store in Scottville Sept. 25, 2025 at 10:36 a.m. 

“The victim and the defendant were in a dating relationship at the time of the offense,” said said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand. “The victim spoke at the sentencing hearing and indicated that the relationship was abusive in nature. The defendant denies that allegation. The incident was captured in part on the video from the Wesco security cameras. The victim suffered substantial injuries from this tragedy. She alleges she has been unemployed since the offense and suffered serious financial hardship in addition to her medical condition. The actions of this defendant caused serious and lasting physical and emotional trauma to his victim.”

Davis was airlifted to Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids with “life-threatening injuries,” said Cole. 

The deputy who investigated the incident watched the Wesco surveillance video and “observed that the truck was parked facing the building in the angled parking lot,” said Sheriff Cole. “Michels, without backing, rapidly accelerated, turning 180 degrees and he drove westbound on Broadway. Michels did not stop on the sidewalk or attempt to slow or yield before entering the road. At that time, Davis was ejected from the vehicle.”

“When he hooked the hard 180 and turned onto Broadway from the parking lot of Wesco, she got pitched out because of how sharp he made the turn,” said Cole. “When he made the turn, her door flew open and she got pitched out.”

A charge of aggravated domestic violence was dismissed. He was also sentenced to two years probation and $658 in fines and costs. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15.

Michels has several driving-related misdemeanor convictions in Mason County, including a driving while license suspended conviction in 2023; two operating without a license convictions in 2025 and 2020; and three convictions of improper license in 2022 and 2021. Michels pleaded guilty in all of those cases.

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