Speed and a lack of seat belts were a major factor in an automobile accident that killed two Eastern Michigan University students early Sunday morning, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said.
Shannise Heady, 21, and Jordan Hopkins, 23, were not wearing seat belts when they were driving at a high rate of speed on Hewitt Road near Midvale Street in Ypsilanti Township when they crossed the center line and collided head on with another vehicle, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derrick Jackson told MLive.
Jackson did not respond to the Echo’s request for further comment.
He told MLive that the speed at which Heady and Hopkins were travelling at had a lot to do with the severity of the accident, but could not specify how fast they were going.
The speed limit is 45 mph on that stretch of Hewitt Road.
There is no evidence yet as to whether alcohol or drugs were involved in the cause of the crash, but Jackson said on Sunday that a toxicology test is being administered.
It is not clear yet where the students were coming from or heading to at the time of the accident.
Heady was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, and Hopkins was her passenger. The vehicle they collided with was driven by a 22-year-old male Ann Arbor resident who was transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital for observation of non-life threatening injuries.
Heady was a junior majoring in health care administration and a forward on the women’s basketball team. Hopkins was a senior in the Honors College majoring in psychology.
Before the fatal accident Heady had played a basketball game at the University of Toledo at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.
The visitation and memorial service will be held for Hopkins on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Nie Funeral Home in Ann Arbor. The final memorial service will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. There are no plans yet for a memorial service for Heady.
