Bloomfield Hills man dies after suspected drunk driver hits car head-on
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By Amy Lange Fox 2 News
PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) -- 75-year-old Sam Founteas of Bloomfield Hills was killed in a head-on collision that left his 66-year-old wife in intensive care.
The two were southbound in a red Cobalt on Opdyke Road and M-59 near their home when a 51-year-old woman driving northbound in a Ford Ranger lost control, crossed the center line and crashed into them head-on, forcing them into yet another car injuring a 21-year-old man.
It all happened around 12:30 p.m. Monday.
"We have a witness that says as she was in the curb lane, she jerked the car to the left to get around him going through the traffic light there, and when she jerked the car to the left, went all the way across," said Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe.
Crashing head-on into the Cobalt. Both cars were traveling about 45 miles an hour. It was a violent, deadly collision.
Sources tell Fox 2 she had come to her West Bloomfield home to drink during her lunch hour.
Police say it appears she was rushing back to work. She is now hospitalized, but expected to recover. Investigators got a search warrant to draw blood to determine her blood alcohol level, but if drunk, this wouldn't be her first time drinking and driving.
"Apparently she doesn't have a valid driver's license either. She's got a history of prior alcohol offenses. She has a driver's license that restricts her that says she can only drive on Monday through Saturday like from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., something like that, and we're looking into there may be a restriction that says she has to have an alcohol monitor on the car," McCabe said.
Indeed her driving record shows arrests dating back to the 1980s. Investigators say she shouldn't have even been on the road.
"This poor gentleman and his wife minding their own business just out for a drive on their way home and tragically killed. He was unfortunately deceased at the scene," said McCabe.
Results from the driver's blood draw are expected to take two to three weeks, then the case will be turned over to the prosecutor for possible charges.
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