County closes Westland sledding hill following serious injuries

    Wayne County authorities have closed and barricaded Middlebelt Hill in Westland after recent sledding injuries left one woman in a coma and two other people injured.

    A Garden City mother of two remains in intensive care at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor after sledding down the hill with her 10-year-old daughter. According to reports, she lost control of the sled she was riding and crashed into a tree where she sustained life-threatening injuries. Her daughter witnessed the accident, family members said. The injured woman, Jessica Wollweber, remains in a medically induced coma after doctors removed part of her skull due to the injuries she suffered in the crash. According to her family, she will remain hospitalized for some time and her recovery is expected to take months. Relatives have started a GoFundMe page hoping to generate $25,000 for Wollweber and her family at https://gofund.me/c363aebb
    In a separate accident, a young child and a 30-year-old man were both reportedly injured at the same spot on the hill. Their current conditions remain unknown.
    The office of the Wayne County Sheriff confirmed the rescue earlier this month of two girls at the site. The sled the girls were riding slid past the tree line into a water filled ravine, according to reports of the incident. They were rescued by EMTs and Wayne County Sheriff deputies.
    Following the accidents, Wayne County parks officials issued a statement regarding the closure of the hill. “For the safety of our community, we have closed Middlebelt Hill at Hines Park in Westland. The well-being of our visitors is our top priority, and we are currently evaluating ways to improve safety measures before reopening. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to create a safer experience for everyone.”
    “We don’t want anyone to get hurt. It’s for your safety that we’re telling folks don’t go sledding in Hines Park. It’s very dangerous to do so. Some folks are going to get hurt and we’re trying to avoid any more individuals getting hurt,” said Wayne County Undersheriff Mike Jaafar.
    A smaller hill a half mile from Middlebelt Hill remains open for sledding.