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September 14, 2004Crash that killed deputy still being investigatedUndersheriff: Gunsell 'would do anything for you'ByRecord-Eagle staff writer GAYLORD - Northern Michigan law enforcement will gather at 1 p.m. Thursday for the funeral of Otsego County Sheriff's Deputy John Gunsell, who died in an on-duty automobile crash. "The entire law enforcement community in Otsego County is saddened by this event," said Michigan State Police Sgt. Denny Reynolds. "We've all worked with Deputy Gunsell and we'll miss him." Visitation will be at the Nelson Funeral Home in Gaylord from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The funeral will be at the Evangelical Free Church in Gaylord. A veteran of law enforcement and firefighting, Gunsell, 43, joined the Otsego department about 5½ years ago after working most of his career in the state's Thumb area, Undersheriff Matt Nowicki said. An avid hunter, he was divorced with four children. "He was a good guy, he'd do anything for you and he was always happy," Nowicki said. "He did pretty good investigative work and always answered up to any calls or extra work." Gunsell and deputy Andrew Nobliski were responding to a follow-up accident investigation on Old Alba Road around 3:10 a.m. Sunday when the patrol car driven by Nobliski failed to negotiate a sharp curve on Dickerson Road near the Otsego County Regional Airport, state police said. The car rolled over more than once and crashed through the airport fencing, Reynolds said. Gunsell, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown approximately 70 feet. He later died at Otsego Memorial Hospital. State law requires front seat passengers to wear seat belts and there is no exception for law enforcement. "Our policy is to follow state law, so our policy is to wear your seat belt," Nowicki said. Nobliski, who wore his seat belt, was treated and released from the hospital. Reynolds declined to say if speed or any other factor might have contributed to the accident. The Old Alba Road accident had already been cleared of the injured and an officer was on the scene, he said. "There was no need to rush," Reynolds said. Nobliski, 26, joined the sheriff's department in July 2000, Nowicki said. He has had one other duty-related, single-car accident, Nowicki said. "We will conduct a complete investigation and then turn it over to a prosecutor for review," Reynolds said. Nowicki said the sheriff's department has not discussed if they will perform an internal review of the crash.
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