An 18-year-old Addison man is ‘lucky to be alive? following a head-on collision with a tree on Lakeville Road, between Lake George and Hosner roads, at about 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Mark Elsarelli, a senior at Oxford High School, was travelling westbound on Lakeville Road at a speed of between 50 and 55 miles per hour when he lost control of his 1995 Pontiac Firebird, which left the road and collided with a tree near the side of the road, according to Oakland County Sheriff’s Sgt. Pete Burkett.
‘He never even hit the brakes,? said the sergeant based on evidence at the scene.
Elsarelli’s father, John, said his son told him he reached down toward the floor of the car to retrieve something just before the accident occurred.
When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, the youth was trapped inside the vehicle.
Addison Fire Chief George Spencer said it took approximately 40 to 45 minutes to extricate the young man from his car.
Oxford firefighters were called to the scene to provide mutual aid and an additional set of extrication tools.
‘It was a very challenging extrication,? the chief said. ‘Fortunately, Oxford and Addison work so well together which made things a lot easier.?
‘It tested our crew. They did everything they’ve been trained to do,? Spencer added.
Once freed from the vehicle, the youth was air-lifted to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital via the University of Michigan’s Survival Flight helicopter.
On Monday, Elsarelli’s father said his son sustained bone injuries to his right leg, which he considered ‘minor? in light of the severity of the crash. On Tuesday, John said his son was ‘improving real well? and moved out of intensive care.
‘The kid’s lucky to be alive,? according to Sgt. Burkett.
Burkett said the youth was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident and the driver’s side airbag did deploy.
Without those two safety devices, Spencer said Elsarelli ‘would have been DOA. No doubt about it.?
Spencer hopes drivers will remember that ‘it only takes a micro-second of distraction? for an accident like this to occur.