Accident survivor says drag racing is a problem in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A teenager who survived a serious crash is shining the spotlight on what he says is a dangerous game on the streets of Battle Creek.

He's stepping forward after being involved in a car crash Saturday at M-37 near Creekview Drive.

Police are investigating that accident as a drag racing crash, and some say it's a problem that is happening too often.

A man who survived a horrific crash Saturday night is still recovering at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. He says he's the lucky survivor of a horrible accident, but police are trying to determine if there's more to it than that.

Some who live on Creekview Drive say that drag racing is a growing problem.

17-year-old Chase Rupe was involved in a crash on Saturday night that police are currently investigating to determine if drag racing is the reason for his injuries.

"I got a bruised sternum, cuts to my head, pulled muscles in my neck," said Rupe.

Rupe was a passenger in a Camaro driven by a friend, 41-year-old Russell McCarn. Rupe says a blind corner, backed up traffic, and a van in the process of turning is what caused the crash.

"Tried to avoid the van and clipped the back end of the van," said Rupe, "that's when we got sent into the power line."

McCarn, the driver, spoke to Newschannel 3 from his hospital bed on Friday. He says the crash broke six of his ribs, fractured his pelvis in three places, collapsed a lung, punctured his liver, and fractured his skull, an injury that will require reconstructive surgery.

For Rupe, the memory of the crash is visceral but fuzzy.

"Just screaming you know, just in pain, just the most painful thing that could ever happen to you," said Rupe.

Witnesses say the Camaro was racing, but Rupe says it was just an accident.

"They said they seen another nice car next to us," said Rupe, "and people are just drawing conclusions."

Years ago, Battle Creek had problems with drag racing on Denso Road, but after speed bumps were put in, the problem went away.

While Rupe insists that he and McCarn were not drag racing on Creekview Road Saturday, he says it is a problem.

"I can sit at my house and hear people ripping down this road, burning out and everything," said Rupe, "I think about it now, it's ignorant, it's just not something that anybody should do, mean you see me and you see my buddy, you wouldn't want to be doing it."

Police in Battle Creek say they aren't aware of any ongoing problem with drag racing, but they continue to investigate Saturday night's crash.

Russell McCarn and his family say they hope he will be out of Borgess in four days, but he will have a long road to full recovery after that.