Saba in critical condition after car wreck

LOWELL (Newschannel 3) - A fiery crash in Kent County has drawn the attention of Secret Service agents and the U.S. Attorney's office.

That's because the man in the driver's seat may be the same man involved in a federal fraud case.

Newschannel 3 has been following Rami Saba's case since December, when he was arrested for fraud. He's accused of taking money from a man in Saranac, who's been missing for more than a year.

And now there may be evidence that he was involved in a serious crash this afternoon in kent county.

The Kent Co. Sheriff's Office confirms that a Rami Ikbal Saba of Lowell was in a car crash Tuesday afternoon, on the 3200 blk. of Alden Nash Ave. SE.

The Sheriff's Department says Saba was driving a '97 Chevy Blazer south on Alden Nash, when he drove off the road, then swung back into the northbound lane, striking a dump truck heading north then hit a guard rail and his car burst into flames.

Saba got out of his vehicle by himself, and was then helped by witnesses. He was then taken by ambulance to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital, where he is in critical condition.

The Lowell neighbor of the Saba charged in the fraud case confirmed to Newschannel 3 that Saba does drive a Chevy Blazer, and that his car has been missing from his home since noon on Tuesday.

On a separate note, Saba's neighbor also says he was taken from his home on Sunday by ambulance with injuries to his arms.

Saba is scheduled for a federal trial for his connection to Don Deitz, also known as "The Bicycle Man" of Saranac.

Deitz lived like a pauper, but accumulated a significant amount of wealth for himself and then dissapeared in the fall of 2007.

Saba was Deitz' financial advisor, and it came out in federal court that Saba allegedly stole Deitz' identity and tried to wire $443,000 back to his home in Lebanon. However, that attempt was blocked by a credit union.

Saba's trial is scheduled to begin July 17 in Grand Rapids.