A younger brother and sister died and several were injured when a vehicle crashed during a birthday party in Michigan

BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A younger brother and sister died and several people were injured, some seriously, when a vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver crashed during a holiday party Saturday birthday of a young child at a boat club, a Michigan. said the sheriff.

An 8-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother died at the scene of the accident, when a 66-year-old woman walked 25 feet (7.6 meters) into the building around 3 p.m. at the Swan Creek Boat Club . in Berlin Township, about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) south of Detroit, Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said.

“The scene was described by first responders as extremely chaotic, with a high level of emotion among those directly involved and those who witnessed this horrific incident,” he said.

Three children and six adults were transported to area hospitals by two helicopters or ambulances. Their lives are in danger, he said. Other injured people received first aid at the scene and some were transported to hospitals by private vehicles.

Goodnough did not identify the woman who was driving the vehicle, but said she was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Jail on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, causing death . She was cooperating with authorities and would likely face additional charges as the investigation continues, he said.

Authorities were tipped off that the woman may have been at a nearby tavern before the incident, Goodnough said, adding that they had the establishment closed and planned to execute a search warrant there as part of the ‘investigation.