Family of crash victim thanks community for support
BY STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writer sswenson@bakersfield.com
The family of Michelle Marie Maxwell, who was killed Tuesday night in a crash with a Kern County firefighter, expressed thanks to the community for the great support they have received, the family's pastor said Thursday.
People have offered "wonderful" personal and financial support to the family, said Pastor Eddie Summers of the Grace Assembly of God Church where the family attends.
One person even offered to donate a burial plot for the 41-year-old mother of three, Summers said.
That won't be needed because the victim's husband, Jerry Maxwell, is a veteran and his wife likely will be buried in the veteran's cemetery, Summers said.
But the offer shows "that Bakersfield is a great city," he said.
Funeral arrangements were being made Thursday night for probably late next week to give relatives time to travel to Bakersfield, the pastor said.
Jerry Maxwell, who has been too distraught to talk the media about the loss of his wife of nearly 24 years, plans to give a public statement Friday at the church.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Mitchell Green, the firefighter who police said was drunk at the time of the crash, remained in critical condition Thursday at Fresno Community Regional Medical Center, a spokeswoman said.
He was driving a Ford F-150 pickup west on Panama Lane just before 8 p.m. when he failed to stop for a red light and hit the passenger side of a Hyundai turning north on Ashe Road, police reported.
Mrs. Maxwell was killed at the scene and her 15-year-old daughter, Michaela, who was driving on a learner's permit, suffered two broken bones and bruises.
Michaela, a sophomore at Independence High School, was "doing OK" Thursday at Kern Medical Center, where she's expected to stay for a couple more days, said her 20-year-old sister, Kathryn.
Police said Green would be arrested on felony drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter charges. A charge of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while driving drunk carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
Summers said he set up a memorial fund for the Maxwell family because the husband's hours were recently cut at the post office.
People can donate by visiting the church at 2800 Larson Lane or writing to Grace Assembly of God, P.O. Box 41255, Bakersfield, 93384.
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