BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Two children were killed and 15 other people, including children, were injured when a suspected drunk driver crashed a vehicle through a building where a child’s birthday party was being held in Monroe County.
The crash happened at around 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said the birthday party was for a young child.
Surveillance video from a nearby home shows the vehicle speeding by. The vehicle crashed into the north wall of the building, went inside, and stopped around 25 feet inside.
A total of 15 people were treated, including children and adults. Nine of them -- three children and six adults -- were transported to local hospitals with serious life-threatening injuries, according to police. Several others were transported privately for medical treatment.
Police said two children were pronounced dead at the scene. They said they were an 8-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy who were siblings.
The driver, a 66-year-old woman who has not been publicly identified, was arrested for suspected drunk driving and is expected to face criminal charges. Officials said she was cooperating with the investigation.
Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said they received information to indicate that she had been at a nearby tavern before the crash. Officials planned to execute a search warrant there as part of the investigation.