(WWJ) Drunken driving may be to blame for a crash in Monroe County that left two teens dead when the driver lost control and flipped her Jeep after crossing railroad tracks, possibly at a high rate of speed.
The Sheriff's Department says a 17-year old is in custody and awaiting charges related to the crash that was reported Tuesday night along LaPlaisance Road near Knab.
The Jeep went into a ditch and hit a utility pole at 9 p.m. Tuesday, killing two passengers, who were identified as 19-year old Johnathan Porkarski of Luna Pier and 17-year old Heaven Theiss of Erie. The rear seat passenger, Porkarski, of Luna Pier, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and was later pronounced deceased at Promedica Toledo Hospital. The front seat passenger, Heaven Leigh Beatrice Theiss, 17, of Erie, Michigan was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver and front seat passenger were wearing safety belts at the time of the crash, the rear seat passenger was not, police said.
The driver, whose identity is being withheld pending formal court proceedings was arrested on scene and lodged at the Monroe County Jail on charges related to the crash.
Authorities say intoxicants and excessive speed were factors in the crash.
The Sheriff's Department said preliminary investigation reveals a 17 year old Monroe woman was operating a maroon Jeep Wrangler westbound on LaPlaisance Road. Upon crossing the railroad trackswest of Knab Road the driver lost control and travel off of the north side of Laplaisance Road.
Monroe Community Ambulance and the LaSalle Township Fire Department assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by Deputies Ryan Eyler, Jacob Llewellyn and Brandon Parker of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Uniformed Services Division and Deputies Jon Cregar, Alec Preadmore and Paul Galloro of the Traffic Services Division.
Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to call 734-240-7756.
