Early Friday morning, just after midnight, a routine drive turned into a devastating tragedy in the quiet curves of Harvey Lake Road in Highland Township, Michigan. Fifty-three-year-old Lisa Dawn LaPearl, driving a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox, was traveling southbound in the 2500 block of the road around 12:30 a.m. when her path crossed the centerline and her vehicle left the pavement.
Once the Equinox veered off, it struck a roadside ditch and then collided with a culvert, causing it to vault from the ground and ultimately overturn. Deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office found the SUV resting on its passenger side in a nearby driveway.
Inside the wreckage, LaPearl was conscious and reported to officers that she was trapped. Her 30-year-old son — a passenger in the vehicle — had already managed to escape and was found walking outside, surprisingly searching for the family dog that had been traveling with them.
First responders from the Highland Township Fire Department and paramedics walked into a harrowing scene. They extricated LaPearl from the overturned SUV, but during the rescue her condition deteriorated. She became unresponsive and despite attempts at resuscitation, she was pronounced dead on the scene.
Investigators with the sheriff’s office Crash Reconstruction Unit are combing through the evidence — tire marks, onboard vehicle data, the curve of the road and the dim lighting. At this point they say they don’t yet know why the Equinox left the pavement: factors like speed, fatigue, mechanical failure, or visibility are all under consideration.
One startling detail: neither LaPearl nor her son was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Investigators have also not yet been able to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a role; an autopsy is scheduled to confirm the cause of death.
Friends and neighbors in Highland Township have taken to social media to share their grief, remembering LaPearl as a kind, compassionate woman who deeply loved her family and pets. While the condition of her son and the family dog has not been disclosed, this sudden loss has shaken the community and serves as a stark reminder of how swiftly an ordinary drive can turn tragic.