The sheriff of St. Joseph County is facing charges for a drunk driving crash in Schoolcraft Township early Sunday morning. Michigan State Police say they arrested a 47-year-old Three Rivers man after he failed sobriety tests just before 2:30 a.m. MSP has not identified him pending his arraignment, but he is Sheriff Mark Lillywhite and he is in the Kalamazoo County Jail. The crash happened on southbound US-131 near West YZ Avenue and caused both Lillywhite’s Chevrolet Traverse and the Nissan Rogue he rear-ended to lose control and go off the road. Witnesses told troopers it appeared Lillywhite’s headlights were not on before the crash. He has been sheriff since 2021 after being elected in 2020 and has been with the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years.
