STURGIS, MI (WTVB) – A 46-year-old Sturgis man has died at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo from injuries he received late Thursday afternoon in a three vehicle traffic accident in Sturgis which has led to a murder charge being filed.
Sturgis Police say 36-year-old Paul Middling of Three Rivers has been arrested on an open murder charge after they claim he was the at-fault driver. Middling is also facing charges of driving while intoxicated on alcohol and drugs and resisting arrest. His bond has been set at $250,000 due to his criminal background. Records show Middling is a parole absconder with a history of violent crime.
Police say it started with a head-on collision on South Centreville Road and South Street. A third car then came along and struck one of the vehicles involved in the first crash.
Sturgis Deputy Police Chief Ryan Banaszack says it took nearly an hour for fire rescue crews to free the three victims from the wreckage.
The fatal victim was identified as Miguel Medina. He died after being taken to Bronson Hospital. His nine-year-old daughter Kaylie was a passenger in the vehicle. She is recovering in the Pediatric Trauma unit at Bronson.
Middling was initially taken to Sturgis Hospital. The third driver involved was not injured.
Sturgis Police continue to investigate the crash. They were assisted by the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department and Life Care Ambulance.
