BERRIEN SPRINGS —  A car driven by Zalika Thompson, 21, of Berrien Springs, was northbound on the St. Joe Valley Parkway (U.S.-31), near mile marker 17, when it left the roadway, entered the median and then rolled over, stopping near the southbound lanes of traffic.

The vehicle in the 7:41 a.m. Dec. 5 crash also contained a passenger, Nickisha Thompson, 22, of Berrien Springs.

Through initial investigation it appears that the driver’s attention may have been distracted and that she lost control of the vehicle and ended up in the median, according to Rick Smiedendorf, deputy chief of the Berrien Springs/Oronoko Township Police Department.

Both the driver and passenger were taken to Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph for treatment of injuries.

St. Joseph Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief for Fire Services, Jim Crow, was first on the scene as he was headed to work from his home in Berrien Springs and heard the priority call go out on the radio.

He assisted BSTOPD Officer Keith Kirk until BSOTFD arrived on scene.

Firefighters had to cut open the front windows to get the occupants out of car as it was lying on its side.

Southbound traffic on the St. Joe Valley Parkway was detoured at Tabor Road while emergency crews worked the accident scene.

Berrien County sheriff’s deputies assisted at the scene and with the traffic detour. They also provided accident scene reconstruction assistance to BSOTPD.

This traffic crash remains under investigation by Officers Keith Kirk and Rob Christner.