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Family: Teen driver who hit Good Samaritans was sober

Tresa Baldas

Detroit Free Press

Keith Martin, 17, of Southgate, Mich., remained on life support as of Tuesday, April 4, 2017, after he crashed into a Jeep that had rolled over on the highway Sunday, April 2, 2017. His car also hit two Good Samaritans who had stopped to help six teens trapped in the Jeep. His family says it was an accident and that Martin tried to avoid the crash, but the car spun out of control.

DETROIT — As a teen driver clings to life after a horrific series of events along Interstate 96 that hurt two Good Samaritans, his family wants the world to know two key things: He's a great kid who needs prayers — and he wasn't drinking.

The latter point has been an added source of stress for the family of Keith Martin, the 17-year-old Southgate, Mich., driver whose car crashed into a high school track star and a doctor who had stopped to help the victims of an earlier crash on I-96 in Detroit on Sunday morning. The student athlete had to have part of one of his feet amputated. The doctor remains in critical care at a local hospital after undergoing neurosurgery.

Martin's family has called for prayers for all involved and they want the public to know that this was an accident. Specifically, they are fuming over initial reports by the Michigan State police who said alcohol may have been a factor based on empty containers found inside the car, but that only toxicology results could confirm that.

Martin's family said that the hospital performed its own toxicology tests and assured them that Martin's results came back showing no alcohol in his system.

"He was not intoxicated, which was proven by the toxicology reports. He is currently in critical condition and suffers with two brain bleeds and swelling of the brain," the family said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Sean English, a junior at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, was critically injured when he was hit by a car after stopping to help victims at a prior crash on Interstate 96 in Detroit on Sunday, April 2, 2017.

That same day, Martin's family got a much-needed morale boost: The parents of Sean English, the injured high school runner, visited Martin and his family in his hospital room.

"They sat and talked and hugged and cried," said Martin's uncle, Steve Toth, noting the family of Dr. Cynthia Ray also is in touch with Martin's family and all are praying for one another.

"It's such a relief that there's no hate," Toth said. "I'm just overcome with joy."

For Toth, the most important thing right now is for his nephew and the others to heal.

"We're still hoping and praying for every person involved. We have not stopped praying," Toth said, noting his nephew was on his way to work at a Coney Island restaurant when the accident happened.

"We're going through a very tough time with my nephew in a touch-and-go situation. He's a young, enthusiastic boy who will light up a room with a smile. ... He's a good kid."

According to relatives, about two months before Sunday's accident, Martin witnessed a similar accident, only that time he was the good Samaritan. They said he was driving home from work when he saw a rollover accident along I-96 and he and a female motorist stopped to help the passengers out of the car.

"He's just the sweetest kid. He works. He hangs out with his girlfriend. This kid — he bought his little sister a concert ticket just to hang out with her," said Martin's aunt, Yvonne Razo, adding Martin spends his paychecks mostly on others.

"He doesn't think about himself. He's very kind-hearted, and he's always going out of his way for people."

Toth said based on his conversations with police, it appeared that Martin tried to avoid hitting the flipped-over Jeep that had landed in the left lane on I-96 near the Davison Freeway at about 7:50 a.m. Sunday. Within moments of the rollover, Martin came around a curve in the highway, with little time to react. His car spun out of control and struck several people, critically injuring the doctor and the other teen.

Dr. Cynthia Ray, a doctor with Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, was critically injured when she was hit by a car as she helped victims of a prior crash Sunday, April 2, 2017.

"He tried to do everything possible to avoid the accident, but the car spun out," Toth said. "This was a kid going to work on a Sunday morning. I wish it would have never happened. But it did happen."

Toth said that while his nephew remains on life support, he showed some signs of improvement Tuesday, with doctors planning to wake him up a little bit.

"Our glimmer of hope is to try and feed him today," Toth said. "I'm in a state of awe right now."

Meanwhile, the two good Samaritans who were injured in the crash remained hospitalized Tuesday.

Ray, a pulmonary and lung cancer specialist at Henry Ford Hospital, was in critical condition at Sinai Grace Hospital. Her family has been too distraught to talk to reporters.

University of Detroit Jesuit High School track star English, 17, had to have part of his foot amputated and remains at Henry Ford Hospital with a broken pelvis and broken legs. He was on his way to church with his parents when the family saw the roll-over crash and stopped to help six teens trapped inside the flipped-over Jeep. None of those six teens was seriously hurt.

State Police First Lt. Denise Powell noted that police made no definitive conclusion about whether alcohol was involved, but investigated because of containers found at the scene. She said police are awaiting the results of their own toxicology tests — which were performed by a separate lab — and probably won't be complete for several days.

Meanwhile, one of Martin's sisters has taken to Facebook, stressing that her brother was not drinking. And praying for his recovery.

"I don't think my hearts ever been this broken," Kayla Martin posted on Facebook. "Please make it through this. I love you so much."

Follow Tresa Baldas on Twitter: @TBaldas