It wasn’t in the proverbial foot but it was close enough.

A passenger of a vehicle traveling on US 131 near Broadway Street in Three Rivers Monday afternoon accidentally shot himself in the leg, causing the driver of said vehicle to leave the roadway and crash, according to the Three Rivers Police Department.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 25, officers were dispatched to a shooting that occurred within a vehicle and caused a single-vehicle accident. Upon arrival officers found that a passenger of the vehicle had accidentally shot himself in the leg, and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. The passenger was transported to an area hospital fo further treatment.

Upon further investigation, officers located three unsecured handguns, “Adjacent to marijuana and packaging” inside the vehicle. Potential criminal charges will be reviewed by the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Three Rivers Fire Department and Shears Wrecker Service assisted the Three Rivers Police Department at the scene.

Alek Haak-Frost is executive editor of Watershed Voice.