Jim Harbaugh Comes To Aid Of Crash Victims On Icy Michigan Highway
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS SF) -- Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is making even more new fans as head coach of the University of Michigan football team by coming to the aid of car crash victims Tuesday.
Harbaugh and a member of UM's athletic staff were traveling on Interstate 94 in Ann Arbor when saw a Jeep Cherokee lose control, roll over and cross over the center divider, according to state police.
Michigan State Police said the Cherokee hit a patch of ice and flipped a number of times, partially ejecting 53-year-old driver Christine Mowrer. Her 73-year-old mother was also in the vehicle. Both were wearing seatbelts and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
A UM spokesman confirmed that Harbaugh and director of football operations Jim Minick stopped to give both women first aid until ambulances arrived.
Mowrer told MLive Harbaugh and Minick took care of them until and kept them warm until emergency crews came.
"I had blood dripping out of my nose and he helped me out and got me onto the ground," Mowrer told MLive. "He got coats and blankets on us and put up an umbrella to block the wind. He probably kept me from going into shock. He was very, very nice."
Mowrer said she didn't know who Harbaugh was until the state police told her later.
For his part, Harbaugh credited Minick the same way he used to heap praise on others at 49ers press conferences.
Proud of my friend Colonel Jim Minick today! he took charge calling on combat training I was just following his instructions
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) March 4, 2015
Mowrer told MLive she hadn't spoken with either man following the accident.
"I would like to tell them thank you but I really don't know how to get a hold of them," she told MLive. "I really appreciate what they did for me and my mother."
State police said Mowrer was at fault in the crash for traveling too fast for the conditions.