Cops: Hit and run driver left injured motorcycle couple in road

A Rochester Hills man is charged in a hit and run crash that critically injured a couple on a motorcycle.

Police say Miguel Barba admitted he fled on foot because he was drunk and in a panic after hitting Darrin Polansky and his girlfriend Shelly Frontera.

"To be left on the side of the road battered and broken like that," said Greg Coyle, president of the couple's Red Wing Motorcycle Club.

Polansky and Frontera, two decorated Marines, were riding their motorcycle on 26 Mile and Gratiot about 10:30 p.m. Aug. 22 when Chesterfield Township police say Barba, of Rochester Hills, was allegedly drinking, ran a red light, and hits them nearly head on.

Polansky suffered the loss of one ear, two broken legs, a fractured pelvis and head injury. Frontera suffered a fractured leg, kneecap, lower back and a head injury.

"(The crash) threw Darren 60 feet down the road and Shelly about 12 feet from the impact," Coyle said.

The motorcycle got lodged under Barba's car police say the motorcycle was dragged nearly 600 yards along 26 Mile Road. Barba, and his passenger, allegedly got out of the car and tried to dislodge the motorcycle.

When they couldn't, they called someone for a ride, leaving Polansky and Frontera, severely injured on the side of the road.

Barba was arrested the next day in Madison Heights. He now faces drunk driving and leaving the scene if an accident causing serious injury.

His bond was set at $50,000. The next court hearing is next month when Barba will have an interpreter.

He is charged with two counts of OWI causing serious injury which is five year felonies, two counts of failing to stop at the scene of an accident resulting serious impairment or death - five year felonies and one count of operating without a license, a 93 day misdemeanor.