8/31/14 - A Fowlerville man was critically injured in a 2-vehicle crash Saturday on I-96 west of M-59. According to the Livingston County Sheriffâs Dept., 53-year-old Robert Heilner was westbound on the freeway at about 6:40 a.m. when the compact pickup he was driving was rear-ended by a Toyota Avalon driven by 31-year-old Rick Wilcox of Lowell, Michigan. According to Undersheriff Mike Murphy, Heilner was thrown from the vehicle, which rolled over several times before coming to a rest. Murphy tells WHMI that no charges have been issued in the accident - although it appears the car driver was at fault - pending completion of the investigation. Murphy says although itâs unlikely that Heilner would have been wearing a seat belt, given that he was thrown from the truck, seat belt usage is undetermined at this time. Westbound I-96 was shut down for four hours while the accident scene was being cleared, and in order for a Survival Flight Helicopter to land on the freeway and airlift Heilner to the University of Michigan Hospital. Wilcox escaped serious injury in the accident, and refused medical treatment. Murphy says alcohol appears to have been a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation. Meanwhile, Heilner remained in critical condition as of midday Sunday at the U of M Hospital. (TT)
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