Families mourning after wrong-way crash leaves 4 dead, 1 hurt in Royal Oak

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A mother, a father, and each of their dads were driving along the highway when a wrong-way driver struck their vehicle on Sunday. The three men were killed, while the woman was critically injured and remains hospitalized. 

The victims were 34-year-old Suriel Galvan-Argüello of Troy, his father, 54-year-old Celerino Galvan-Martinez, and his father-in-law, 71-year-old Antonio Martinez-Saldivar – both from Mexico. 

Suriel is the husband of the injured woman, Maria Argüello – whose father is Martinez-Saldivar. She is expected to spend another month in the hospital due to her severe injuries, according to the family. 

"The doctors say a month, but every day is a little bit different because sometimes we find something new," said Lucia Galvan, Suriel's sister-in-law. "I've seen stuff like this on the news before and never in a million years would I have ever thought it would touch this close to my family."

Three men were killed by a wrong-way driver on I-75 in Royal Oak over the weekend.

The wrong-way driver, 29-year-old Adam Quillen, died in the crash as well. 

Suriel and Maria have two children, a 14-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter, who are still trying to process the tragedy.

The 8-year-old "says that her dad is in the sky," Lucia said. "And she did tell us that they're all in her heart – so she's OK."

The crash took place in Royal Oak, on southbound I-75 near 11 Mile, in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Calls went out to 911 from other drivers who spotted the wrong-way driver around 2:50 a.m.

But it was too late for the family of four. Quillen, driving a Volkswagen, collided head-on with the family's Dodge Caravan. The Volkswagen caught fire. 

It is unclear if drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision; Michigan State Police are waiting for a toxicology report.

"We are very shocked and incredibly distraught about the whole situation," the at-fault driver's sister told FOX 2 over the phone. "I’m so sorry to (the victims' family) on behalf of my brother."

Quillen had moved to Metro Detroit to take a job as the director of data analytics for a cannabis company called Oak Canna Brands in Detroit, his family says.

A FOX 2 investigation revealed that Quillen had a drunk driving charge and speeding tickets on his records out of Ohio.

Adam Quillen

While both families are mourning, Lucia says the fatal crash seems like it could have been prevented. 

When MSP made the death notification last weekend, Suriel and Maria's 14-year-old boy asked if he could go with the officers to get a job to support his mom and sister, according to the family.

"It’s disheartening because he's 14. He shouldn't have to be thinking about something like that," Lucia said. "I feel like it's a tragedy that shouldn't have happened."

Quillen's family admits they may never have all the answers they need to find closure. But through their own pain, the wrong-way driver's family had some things to say to the family of the three people killed in the crash.

"Wish there was something that we could do to give them some comfort in this time, because we all are just thinking about them constantly," Quillen's sister said. "I hope to get more answers about how this happened… So many things obviously where he got on the highway the wrong way, and how that happened." 

The three related men will have funeral services together at Verheyden Funeral Homes in Clinton Tonwship – and their bodies will be sent to Mexico for burial. Donations to help the family with funeral and medical expenses can be made here.