Auburn native Daniel Kerstetter, a Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Officer, died over the weekend from injuries sustained in a crash on I-75 near Detroit. The accident occurred Friday morning when a Ford Explorer hit the median and struck Kerstetter’s patrol vehicle, pushing it into the semi-truck he had pulled over.
Kerstetter, 45, was extracted from his cruiser and placed on life support, but passed away days later. The driver of the Ford Explorer also died in the crash. Kerstetter, who joined MSP in 2023, leaves behind a wife and three children. His family made the decision to donate his organs.
“We are heartbroken for this loss,” said Col. James F. Grady II, MSP director, who praised Kerstetter’s dedication to public safety. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also expressed her condolences, calling his death “heartbreaking.” An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
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