U.P. sheriff urges public to call for mental health services
"This does not sit well with us!"
EAGLE RIVER, Mich. (AP/WWJ) - An Upper Peninsula sheriff in Michigan's smallest county is making a public plea for more mental health services after a young driver smashed a car into trees to try to end a life.
Authorities say the driver had decided they no longer wanted to live and drove their car into a group of trees at nearly 100 mph, but survived the collision.
The driver was taken to a nearby hospital, given medical treatment and mental health professionals sent them home with "a safety plan."
Sheriff Curt Pennala says, "This does not sit well with us!"
A Facebook post, with a photo of the crumpled car, has been shared more than 6,000 times this week. That's more than three times the population of Keweenaw County.
The sheriff says he's not knocking Copper Country Mental Health Services, but instead says the public must demand a meaningful discussion about Michigan's "broken mental health system."
"We are asking that you help us start the discussion locally, contact your state representatives, contact your mental health board and help us figure out how we can fix this problem," the Facebook post says. "These are our brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters who are crying out for help. We owe it to ourselves to make a change."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
