Gavin Blauch Injured in Stannard Township, Michigan Multi-Car Crash on January 27, 2026 During Return from Ski Trip

On January 27, 2026, a multi-car crash in Stannard Township, Michigan, left one doctoral student dead and two others injured as they returned from a ski trip in the Upper Peninsula. The students, enrolled in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at the College of St. Scholastica, were traveling back to Minnesota when their vehicle was allegedly struck head-on by one driver and then hit from behind by another. The collision resulted in the death of 24-year-old Andrew “Drew” Bjork at the scene.

Gavin Blauch, who had been driving at the time of the crash, sustained a severe shoulder injury. A third classmate, Alex Miller, suffered internal bleeding and required four days of intensive care at St. Luke's Hospital before being discharged to continue recovery at home. Authorities have indicated that the vehicle occupied by the students was totaled in the incident. A fundraising effort has since been organized to assist Blauch and Miller with medical expenses, lost wages, and ongoing care as the investigation into the crash continues.