By Mary Drier (Contact / Staff Bio)
October 7, 2009 - 12:47 p.m. EST

UNIONVILLE — A 20-year-old Bad Axe woman is lucky to be alive according to police reports.

About 12:05 p.m. Friday, the Michigan State Police were dispatched to a hit-and-run accident at Bay City-Forestville and Colling Road in Columbia Township.

Paige Rhodes, 20, was driving a green 1993 Buick LaSabre on Bay City-Forestville Road. A vehicle traveling southbound on Colling Road failed to heed the stop sign and struck Rhodes’ vehicle in the driver’s side door, and then fled the scene.

“She is very lucky,” said Trooper Ruth Osborne. “She was wearing her seat belt. That probably saved her life.”

The suspect hit-and-run vehicle is described as an older - possibly 1994 - 1995 Dodge full size - maybe a one-ton pickup or a pickup cab chassis with a flatbed. It is red or burgundy in color.

The vehicle does not have a grill, noted Osborne.

The Unionville-ACW Fire Department and ambulance responded. Because Rhodes was pinned in the vehicle, the Caro Fire Department was called for their Jaws of Life to extract her.

Rhodes was taken to Scheurer Hospital in Pigeon where she was treated and released.

Anyone with information on the driver or the vehicle that left the scene are asked to call the Michigan State Police Post in Caro at (989) 673-1256.