Drinking teen flees head-on collision

Atlas Twp. — A Clarkston teen ran, but couldn’t hide.
The 19-year-old male driver was discovered hiding after fleeing the scene of an accident he’d caused. The Nov. 11 head-on collision took place in front of Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy, said Sgt. Detective Joe Parks of the Atlas Township precinct of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.
While northbound on State Road at approximately 10:15 p.m., off-duty Oakland County officer Kirk Rasegan was forced to slam on his brakes near Green Road when a 1992 Oldsmobile pulled in front of him, erratically veering onto the lawn of Markle Chiropractic Center. Upon merging back onto State Road, the driver of the Olds collided head-on with a northbound 1992 Chevrolet stationwagon driven by a 24-year-old Burton woman. The driver of the Oldsmobile then fled on foot in a southeast direction, said Parks.
Atlas deputy Ron Whitney, who had been dispatched, arrived to investigate. At 10:50 p.m., the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department received a call from the 10,000 block of Green Road regarding an injured white male seeking help. The suspect, who had asked the resident not to call 911, then left the home.
With the aid of a K-9 dog, Whitney tracked the subject to an empty residence in the 13,000 block of Green Road and discovered an open garage window. The young man was found hiding in a closet. He admitted to drinking alcohol, Parks said.
The suspect, who had no prior alcohol-related arrests, was transported to Hurley Medical Center for treatment. He will likely be charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor and illegal entry, said Parks.
The Burton woman refused treatment for lower-body pain resulting from the accident.