Fire fighters rescue woman from Jeep-semi crash

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
Rawsonville Road was blocked off for about four hours on Monday morning as fire fighters worked to free the driver of a Jeep from underneath a semi-truck where she was trapped.
Amber Malmsten, 33, from Van Buren Township was taken by University of Michigan Survival Flight to the U of M Hospital where she was listed in good condition and released on Tuesday.
VBT Police Lt. Kenneth Floro said at about 7 a.m. VBT police and fire were dispatched, along with Ypsilanti Township Fire Department and Huron Valley Ambulance, to Rawsonville Road and West Huron River Drive for a personal injury accident involving a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle.
Lt. Floro said the preliminary investigation indicates Malmsten was driving a 1997 Jeep northbound on Rawsonville Road when she struck a 1999 Kenworth semi-truck turning northbound onto Rawsonville Road from Textile Road.
The truck, loaded with 40,000 pounds of auto parts and believed to be from the Ford Rawsonville plant, was driven by Armond Gary, 52, from Rockwood, who was not injured.
Lt. Floro said upon the arrival of VBT Public Safety personnel it was determined that a lengthy extrication was required to free Malmsten from her vehicle. They used the assistance of J&T Crova Towing to lift the loaded trailer away from the Jeep, creating space for VBT and Ypsilanti Township fire fighters to safely extricate Malmsten from her vehicle.
Due to the lengthy extrication, HVA paramedics and VBFD personnel requested that she be transported by Survival Flight.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department helped with traffic control.
According to reports, the driver’s side of the Jeep had the most significant damage. Both vehicles were facing north on Rawsonville when emergency crews arrived.
The VBT Accident Investigation Team responded to the scene to conduct the investigation and collect physical evidence.
The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information related to the crash is asked to call Lt. Floro at (734) 699-8915.