Two young brothers were killed when a drunk driver crashed into a Michigan business where a child’s birthday party was being held Saturday, authorities said.
The vehicle struck a building at the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Charter Township around 3 p.m. He stopped 25 feet inland where the party was taking place, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said at a news conference Saturday night.
The siblings, a 5-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister, were pronounced dead at the scene, he said. It was not immediately clear whether the party was for any of the children and their names were not released.
Approximately 13 other people were injured, including nine people who were hospitalized with “serious and potentially life-threatening injuries,” Goodnough said.
Those nine — three children and six adults — were rushed to medical facilities by University of Michigan ambulance or medical helicopter, he said.
Several other injured people took private vehicles to hospitals, the sheriff said. Their conditions were not available.
Goodnough said emergency responders described the scene as “extremely chaotic, with a high level of emotions.”
He said the driver, a 66-year-old woman, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death. It was unclear whether she needed medical attention.
The woman’s name was not released. Additional criminal charges will likely be filed against her, Goodnough said.
He said the driver may have been at a nearby bar and grill and investigators want to find out what happened there.
“We went in, closed the deal and are executing a search warrant for information,” Goodnough said.
The venue did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Swan Boat Club in the community of Newport is about 30 miles south of Detroit on Lake Erie. The site’s website states that it is also a members’ club with docks available for an annual fee.
Said in Facebook which will be closed during the weekend. “Please keep all people and families present in your prayers,” it said.
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