OTSEGO COUNTY — A 70-year-old Saranac man was arraigned Feb. 13 on charges including operating while intoxicated causing death following a September 2025 head-on collision. Michael Burlingame was arrested by Michigan State Police on Thursday and is currently being held at the Otsego County Jail.
The crash happened on Sept. 20, 2025, on M-32 near Buell Road in Elmira Township. According to a preliminary investigation by MSP, a 76-year-old Gaylord woman who was a passenger in the vehicle Burlingame struck, died from her injuries on Nov. 3, 2025.
According to MSP, Burlingame was traveling eastbound on M-32 in a Ford SUV when he crossed the center line and hit a westbound Dodge pickup truck. The pickup was carrying four people.
A 78-year-old man from Gaylord was driving the Dodge pickup. His passengers included a 79-year-old man from Plymouth and two 76-year-old women, one from Gaylord and one from Plymouth. The front seat passenger and both back seat passengers in the pickup were taken to a local hospital with critical injuries. Both Burlingame and the driver of the Dodge had non-life-threatening injuries.
During a search of the Ford SUV, state police say they found a handgun. Troopers seized the firearm, saying the owner did not possess a concealed pistol license.
The findings of the investigation were eventually turned over to the Otsego County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Burlingame was arrested on Feb. 12, 2026 and taken to the Otsego County Jail.
During his arraignment, he was charged with one count of operating while intoxicated causing death and one count of reckless driving causing death. Additional charges include two counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, two counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
Burlingame is scheduled to return to court for his next appearance on Feb. 19 at 1:35 p.m.