A traffic claimed the lives of two Crawford County residents last Thu, Feb 22, and injured two oiler Grayling residents. Julius Aponoves, 76, driver of one of the vehicles, was dead at the scene and Paul David Dunham, 18, a passenger in the second car driven by his brother, died while in route to Mercy Hospital. Jay Thomas Dunham 17, and Kenneth Fraley, 18, the other passenger in the Dunham car, were taken by ambulance to Grayling Mercy Hospital.
As of Mon morning, Jay Dunham was a patient in Grayling Mercy Hospital’s Critical Care Unit, listed in stable condition. Fraley was released from the hospital on Fri, Feb 23. The accident occurred when Jay Dunham, driving east on M 72E at about 12:12pm, lost control of his car on the slippery pavement. The vehicle crossed broadside into the westbound lane hitting the front of Aponoves vehicle. The Aponoves vehicle struck the Dunham car on the left side behind the driver. Paul Dunham was sitting in the back seat on the driver’s side when the collision occurred. Aponoves was alone in his vehicle. According to police records neither of the drivers or the passengers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. Officers, at the scene, reported that the highway was covered with between ¼ and ½ inch of slush and, although visibility was considered fair, a wet heavy snow was falling. The accident is still under investigation. A spokesman for the Crawford County Sheriff Dept, said alcohol was not a contributing factor to the accident.
Grayling Avalanche: 1 Mar 1990