Report: Vodka in Grand Haven girls' car

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The investigation into a nasty crash that badly injured several Grand Haven High School students is now complete, the Grand Haven Tribute reports -- and there are a number of troubling finds.

Emily Bogner, Madison Case, Hannah DeVecht, Danielle Michaels and Brittney Olds were on their way to a girl's basketball playoff game in East Lansing on March 16. 

The driver, Michaels, lost control on I-96 near Lowell. The car hit the turnbuckle at the beginning of the cable barrier, crashed through that side, went across the median and flipped over the top of the west side cable barrier.

Three of the girls were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle, but all five teens survived.

The Grand Haven Tribune is reporting that among the findings in the police report, cell phone distraction and speed both appear to be factor in the crash and that a cold, open bottle of vodka was found in the back seat.

It also found that the driver had not been drinking.

The final police report says Michaels told police after the crash she knew alcohol was in the car, but didn't know who brought it and that it may have been there from a different day.

Police investigated allegations that Michaels may have been texting before the crash, but later found she wasn't.

Michaels told police she had been talking to her mom on the phone and looked down to turn it off. But, when she looked up she saw a car and swerved to miss it when she lost control.

The report also indicated that neither weather nor road conditions played a role in the crash, the Tribune reports.

Grand Haven Superintendent Keith Konarska told 24 Hour News 8 the accident has been tragic for their entire community.

"It gives students, I believe, a chance to reflect on their own behaviors and think about their own safety and the safety of the passengers in their cars...think about how texting can impact safety on the road and other things that could be distracting," said Konarska. "So I believe those conversations are not only happening in our school district and small groups and between staff and students but I think they're also occurring at the dinner table."