WEXFORD COUNTY, Mich — She was never without a smile on her face. That is how the grandfather of Jolee Krouse, a 5-year-old girl killed a week ago in a northern Michigan UTV crash, is describing her.
As we've reported, Jolee was killed after a UTV crash on June 7. It happened in Springville Township, just northwest of Cadillac. Jolee and her family were visiting family up north from New Mexico at the time.
Her grandfather, Dean Krouse who said he wasn't there at the time of the accident, said some family went to take a UTV out for a ride. He said a younger member of the family was driving when they took a curve too fast.
Krouse said Jolee was thrown from the UTV and pinned by the vehicle.
Krouse said they were a half-mile away, and rushed to get to the scene after they got the call.
"It's an image you don't want to see and you don't want to see again," Krouse, who lives in the Grand Rapids area said.
"You walk into the room and you find a discarded sock that was hers and you burst into tears," said Krouse.
Her funeral services are set for next week in New Mexico, according to her obituary.
Krouse has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Jolee's family. At last check, it's raised more than $6,000.
You can find a link to that page here.
13 ON YOUR SIDE reached out to the Wexford County Sheriff to get an update on their investigation into the situation. On Saturday morning they responded to say they had no updates.
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