Hart woman charged with 2 felonies in connection to 3-vehicle crash.

Lipski

Hart woman charged with 2 felonies in connection to 3-vehicle crash.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRASH.

HART — A 29-year-old Hart woman has been charged in 78th District Court with two felony counts of operating under the influence of liquor causing a serious injury and a misdemeanor count of second-offense operating while intoxicated following a three-vehicle crash the night of Jan. 14 at the intersection of Polk Road and 72nd Avenue.

Kala Marie Lipski, of 5182 N. 72nd Ave., has been charged in connection to the crash that seriously injured the two other drivers — a 40-year-old Hart man and a 40-year-old Hart woman.

“It was reported that a 40-year-old Hart man failed to yield for oncoming traffic,” said Chief Juan Salazar in a press release issued after the crash. “The man was struck by (Lipski) who was traveling on Polk Road. A 40-year-old Hart woman then rear-ended (Lipski’s) vehicle.”

UPDATE: “The 40-year-old male was not at fault,” said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. “The damage and location of the vehicles led to confusion. The male driver was driving westbound on Polk road traveling straight and not turning. The defendant was driving eastbound on Polk and turned left in front of the man (she needed to yield) causing the crash. The third vehicle traveling eastbound on Polk Road crashed when she did not see the first two vehicles. The result of the crash led investigators to initially believe the man had been on 72nd, but this was not accurate and the above was able to be confirmed.”

The two injured drivers were transported to Mercy Health Hospital in Muskegon. 

“The report indicates that the one driver had a fractured femur,” said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. “The report indicates the other driver had a fracture of the tibia and fibula.”

Lipski’s bail was set at $5,000/cash/surety/10 percent. A preliminary exam in district court is set for Feb. 16 at 3 p.m.

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