Jan 2, 2008 9:01 am US/Eastern
911 Tapes Released In Fatal Car Crash
PARKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) ―
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An Ohio car crash that claimed the lives of a mother and several children from Parkville, Baltimore County.
CBS
Crisis teams will be on hand as students return to Carney Elementary School after several students were killed in a tragic car accident in Ohio.
Mary Bubala has more as 911 calls provide new insight into the crash.
The man who police say drunkenly drove the wrong way down the interstate before crashing into the Parkville family's van will face a judge Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, back in Baltimore County, children will be getting grief counseling to deal with their classmates' deaths.
It was a tragic scene after a truck, with 24-year-old Michael Gagnon behind the wheel, slammed into a van driven by Danny Griffin. The crash killed his wife and four children, including an eight-week-old.
The incident left close family friends stunned.
"I'm in shock, absolute shock. I don't even know what to say. It's like a nightmare," said family friend Val Meyers.
"It didn't even surprise me that he lived and took so many that quick, and you know, it's just so preventable," said family friend Dennis Meyers.
Preventable because police say Gagnon was drunk, with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
They say after drinking he stopped at a Taco Bell where workers tried to hold him.
"There's this guy. He's driving a black Ford F250. It's like a diesel and he's really drunk. We got him stopped in our drive-through right now," a caller said.
But Gagnon left, police say, and headed the wrong way down the interstate.
Other drivers called for help.
"He was coming at us head on," a driver said.
"He's probably coming up to 75 any second but man, dude's driving crazy," another said.
"He went flying by me and at that point, I called 911 and let them know we had someone going the wrong way," a witness said.
"Get this man off the road before he kills somebody," a driver implored.
Minutes later, as Gagnon went around a curve, he crashed to the horror of witnesses.
Dispatcher: "Are you saying there's been an accident?"
Caller: "Yeah, a big accident."
The caller began to sob.
Three of the eight inside the minivan survived. Gagnon did too. He now faces vehicular homicide charges.
Toledo Police say the bar, where Gagnon was drinking before the crash, could have its license revoked and face a civil lawsuit from the victim's family.
Gagnon will be arraigned Wednesday morning.
If you would like to help the family financially, please contact the Redford Township Community Choice Credit Union at:
25447 5-Mile Rd.
Redford Township, MI 48239
You can also call
313-535-4515.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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