Jeff Sargeson was injured when he was struck by a pickup truck along US Interstate 10 early New Year’s morning.
BAY COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) – A firefighter continues to recover from injuries after being struck by a pickup truck while at the scene of an icy crash along U.S. 10 early New Year’s Day morning.
Firefighter Jeff Sargison said he had to hire an attorney because the town’s insurance company says it has to investigate a claim over that incident.
While speaking with the town’s insurance company, he was told that someone had questioned whether he was operating outside the town’s guidelines.
“I knew I was going to get hit, and I thought if I could jump, I would be able to get out of the way,” Sargison said of the accident. “It all happened so fast.”
But a Monitor Township volunteer firefighter couldn’t get out of the way of a pickup truck that spun out of control on US 10 near I-75 in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day.
He has a head injury and broken ribs.
“My left leg is broken in three different places,” Sargison said.
The truck driver left the scene, but turned himself in to police and has not yet been charged.
As Sargison recovers, he said the town’s insurance company informed him that someone from the town had contacted the company, proposing this about the accident.
“He said that the accident I was on scene in, the fire department had not been dispatched to it yet, so I was acting outside of town guidelines,” Sargison said.
He and other firefighters had just left the scene of a nearby crash and Sargeson was checking on another vehicle that was along the median when he was struck by that pickup truck.
He believes it was his duty to stop and help, regardless of whether a 911 call was made or not.
“Until we figure this out, it’s just going to put more pressure on me,” Sargeson said.
It’s no secret that Sargison doesn’t agree with Monitor Township Supervisor Terry Spencer. Sargeson was one of the organizers of a recall attempt against Spencer in 2022, which was eventually dropped.
Spencer said he did not contact the insurance company.
“The Town Council and I wish Jeff a speedy recovery,” Spencer said. “I’m not aware that anyone from town has had any contact with the insurance company except the fire chief.”
Sargeson said he is in medical and financial trouble until this matter is resolved.
“If they were to get hurt doing this job, providing service to our community, would the town step up and support us?” Sargison said of the potential repercussions if he wasn’t covered by the town’s insurance.
Sargeson’s crowdfunding page has been launched. Click here for the page.
Monitor Township Fire Chief John Kramer said Sargison was certainly on duty and that his actions that morning fell within the scope of township guidelines.