Alcohol believed to be a factor in northern Michigan boat crash

PETOSKY, Mich. (WILX) - Three people were hospitalized Wednesday morning after a boat crashed into a breakwall in Petoskey.

According to authorities, a Petoskey resident called 911 just before 3 a.m. to report someone was yelling for help. Michigan State Police troopers searched the area and found two people sitting on a breakwall near Bay View.

Police said a 21-year-old woman from Florida had severe injuries to her right arm, a 41-year-old man from Massachusetts had injuries to his head and face and the man calling for help - a 26-year-old from Grand Rapids - was drifting in a sinking boat. He was retrieved by officers with the Harbor Springs Police Department.

All three people were taken to McLaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey and are expected to be OK.

Police said the three had left Harbor Springs to go boating and struck the breakwall at a high rate of speed, causing the Florida woman and Massachusetts man to be ejected into the breakwall.

The man from Grand Rapids, who was driving the boat, hit his face on the console and stayed with the boat as it began to drift away and sink.

The U.S. Coast Guard has been contacted to retrieve the partially submerged boat.

Police believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

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